The Hunter's Oath: Remembrance
by Thomas A. Hawk
Summary: A prequel to my first work, "The Hunter's Oath", join York and his friends as they begin their careers and become the renowned hunters they are known as.
1. Chapter 1

_Surprise, my faithful reader! Bet you were expecting the sequel to my story, eh? Well, this is in fact the prequel! Now, don't get me wrong; I am still working on the sequel. I was actually working on this a few months ago and found it again while searching through some documents. And hey, after reading through it again, my gut told me "why not post it? They should like it." Anyways, I hope that my gut wasn't lying to me again; it has a habit of doing that after a bad meal. But in all seriousness, I hope this can tide you over until I've prepared the Master Corp for viewing! Enjoy!_

* * *

Remembrance

_Seven years before 'The Hunter's Oath"…_

-Crez-

"Zeal, I'm telling you, this can't go on!"

"I get what you're saying, but is that really the best idea? Come on, York, we shouldn't do something so… extreme."

York and Zeal sat in the branches of one of the many trees on the outskirts of the mountain village. It was a small town, only a few single story buildings. Each one was made of the same material; a dark wood of incredible strength. The largest building was a long hall, maybe twice the size of the others. Engraved in the wood above the entrance was a ferocious dragon with two large horns; the 'god' of the village.

"If this is what you consider extreme, I'd love to see you think of something more 'normal'," York said, gazing at the village.

"I just don't think destroying the village will solve the problem," Zeal replied. His golden eyes were starkly contrasted by the black robes he wore. York wore a similar outfit, except it was white. Both had several pieces of leather armor overlaying the robes, offering a weak, flexible layer of protection.

"Well, we have to do something. Zeal, the things we do here… it just isn't right."

Zeal sighed, pulling back the hood of his robes; he had long hair the same shade of gold as his eyes. "Trust me, I think the same thing. In either case, we've got to keep this between us. Can't let anyone else know what we're up to, right?"

"Yeah, alright. No one else would even consider helping us, anyways. Let's get back; the guards will get suspicious if we're out too long."

York and Zeal quickly pulled their hoods back up before jumping to the ground. They landed lightly, considering the height; one of the techniques they had developed over the years spent in Crez was how to soften the impact from a fall. York didn't even fully understand it; not many in the village did, either. They quickly ran off towards the gate of the village, swiftly yet silently.

"It's about time you two got back," the guard said as they approached. "Did you gather what we needed?"

"Yeah, right here," Zeal said, pulling a small pouch from the bag slung across his back. He tossed it to the guard, who instinctively caught the object before looking at its contents.

"Good, now get back in the village. York, you have been called to the longhouse by our master. I would highly recommend you don't ignore the summons." York and Zeal looked apprehensively at each other for a moment after they walked past the guard.

"There's no way he could know… right?" Zeal shook his head.

"I don't know, but don't say anything about it if he asks."

"Got it." York and Zeal parted ways, York heading to the larger building while Zeal entered his small house. York stopped for a moment outside, gazing at the large dragon head carved above the doors. It seemed almost lifelike; the detail put into it was incredible. York quickly averted his gaze and entered the building, the dark wooden doors creaking as they opened.

York entered the dimly lit room, stepping forward a few feet. The doors quickly shut behind him, but he wasn't surprised; they were made to do that. He walked towards the opposite end of the room, where a man sat on a throne. He wore spiked black armor, the helm resting on his leg. His face was completely obscured by the shadows that flickered about him. "So, you've come at last, York." His voice boomed through the room with a demonic echo.

"Yeah, what do you want?" York responded. Although it was impossible to tell, York could practically see the man's brow furrowing at the remark.

"I see you still have a hard time grasping the meaning of 'respect', boy. I have called you here because of the remarks of your trainer."

"Remarks?"

"Yes, he wishes to know why you insist on dyeing your cloak white; as do I."

"Because it feels right," York bluntly answered.

"And what do you mean by 'right'?" The man had stood from his throne, placing his helm back on his head. He walked down the steps leading to the throne, his footsteps echoing loudly. He stopped when he was a few feet in front of York. He was immensely tall, towering above York. York didn't flinch.

"I mean that it suits me better than black," he said.

"So, this is simply a matter of taste? And your choice of weapon? What of that?"

"An axe can be much more versatile than a dagger. I can do more with it than can a butter knife."

"Yet you still refuse live combat training."

"Because I don't feel like seeing my allies killed by my own hand. Any other 'remarks'?" The man in dark armor seemed to exude anger; the shadows seemed to lengthen, and the air suddenly grew heavy.

"You still have much to learn," he growled. "You had better learn to watch your tongue, as well. I only refrained from striking you down because you have some skill. Now, begone!" York turned and left the dark room, the doors creaking open as he walked through them.

He didn't look back.

* * *

"Did he say anything?"

"No, I don't think he knows. He's suspicious of me, but for different reasons."

"Well, we just need to lay low for a bit longer then."

"Zeal, we've been waiting long enough. We need to do this soon."

"And I understand that. But if we act at the wrong time, we'll both end up dead, and that wouldn't solve anything. York, trust me, we'll put a stop to this, alright?"

York had entered Zeal's small room and told him of what transpired at the long house. Zeal had seemed at least concerned, but it was hard to tell with him sometimes; he had a hard face to read. "We have to act before next week. The Rite of Passage isn't going to happen, got it? You've seen what becomes of those who participate." Zeal nodded in acceptance of the statement; this was something they had to ensure.

"Yeah, I got it. Alright, try to get some sleep, York. Last thing we need is one of us to get killed because he was too tired."

"Yeah, I hear you. Remember; not a word." York clapped Zeal's shoulder before departing the house. It was late; clouds had covered the moon, and only a few torches were lit, casting only a small amount of light on the dark village.

York entered his house, quickly shutting the door behind him. He turned, coming face to face with a man in black robes. "Hello, York."

"Gyr? What the hell are you doing in my house?" The man, Gyr, grinned madly.

"I've come to stop your little 'plan'." York felt fear for one of the few times in his life.

"…What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb, you traitor. I know all about your little scheme with Zeal. Be glad I didn't tell his lordship; he'd have you publicly executed. I'll do it nice and quiet, instead." Gyr quickly drew a dagger and stabbed at York! York grabbed his wrist after sidestepping, and in one fluid motion disarmed him and broke Gyr's wrist! The assassin howled in pain, grasping his wrist as his weapon was buried into the door behind York. "Damn you… Don't think I didn't come alone!"

Several other cloaked figures appeared from the corners; five total, all wielding daggers. York kicked Gyr back and drew his axe; a steel blade with a hollowed core to reduce weight. He blocked the first strike of one of his attackers, pushing the man back. Two others followed up, and York parried one's dagger. Grasping the first man by the wrist, he redirected him into the other, stabbing his comrade through the heart! York quickly hacked deep into his back, killing him instantly.

_Crap… this room's too small!_ York thought, dodging another lunge. He quickly turned and crashed through his front door, out into the darkness of the night. A few torches were lit outside his door, allowing him to see his assailants as they pursued him. Pulling the dagger out of the remains of his door, he reengaged the hooded figures. The first slashed at him with his knife; York quickly blocked the strike before countering with a knee shattering kick! As the man fell down, York crushed his neck under his foot, ending the assassin's life.

Two more attacked then, one trying to grab York from behind. York anticipated this, and threw the man over his shoulder in retaliation. The other assailant stabbed at him, but York caught the knife in the hollow of his axe! He sliced through the man's left leg with his acquired knife, forcing him to fall to one knee and drop the dagger. York buried the axe into his chest, quickly wrenching it free and stabbing the other one in the neck with the dagger.

The last assailant attacked with a sword; it was a simple, yet deadly blade made of quality iron. He slashed at York, who tried to block with the short dagger. The sword broke the brittle knife easily, forcing York to jump back to avoid another swing. He flung the remains of the knife at the man, who deflected the attack and charged at York again. York backed up again but found himself up against the front wall of his house!

Thinking quickly, he grabbed one of the torches and pulled it free. He parried the lunge of his opponents sword before striking him with the torch! The man's dark robes were set ablaze, and he screamed in terror as the flames began to burn his flesh. He struggled for a while before falling to the ground, dead. A few of the lights in some of the nearby houses flickered on at the commotion.

_Dammit… we've gotta act now!_ York thought, gazing at the torch he held. He held the flames to the dry wood of his house, setting the building ablaze almost instantly. He likewise began to set the other buildings on fire, throwing the torch at the longhouse last of all. The fire struck above the large dragon head, quickly beginning to eat away at the dark wood. York looked back and saw the house next to Zeal's suddenly light on fire!

"SHIT! ZEAL!" York quickly ran towards his friend's house, the fire beginning to spread closer and closer to the small building. He burst through the front door, as the roof began to burn. "Zeal! Zeal, come on! We gotta go! Now!" Zeal sleepily sat up, blinking a few times; he hadn't heard the noises from earlier.

"…Wha…? York, what are you…?"

Suddenly, one of the rafters from the ceiling broke off, the flaming debris falling down onto the cot Zeal lay in! He screamed in pain as the burning wood landed on him, burning his flesh. "NO!" York quickly ran to help his friend, trying to lift the rafter off of Zeal while being careful to avoid the flames. It was no use, though; the piece was just too heavy for him to move.

"Fuck! Zeal, I can't… I can't lift it!"

"Wh… why, York? Why didn't you… say you were…?"

"Zeal, I couldn't! There wasn't any time! Come on, you gotta push! We need to get this thing off of you!"

"You… you burned the village? You burned MY house?"

"No! That's not- agh!" York was suddenly forced to stumble back as more blazing pieces of wood fell from above! He gazed helplessly at Zeal, who was further trapped under the wreckage; there was no way to get him out.

"… I'm sorry, Zeal…"

York quickly ran out of the building as more of it came crashing down, burying his friend in the burning remains of his home. "_**YORK**_!" A powerful voice boomed from the longhouse, and the black armored man stepped out of the blazing structure, unfazed by the intense heat. The flames seemed to part around him, reflecting off his armor as though the fire itself was fearful of his presence. "_**YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!"**_ He rushed at York, wielding a large blade with some sort of ancient writing engraved on it. York quickly dove to the side as the blade crashed into the ground where he had been standing, rolling to a stop before running towards the longhouse in an attempt to get away.

He was cut off as the black armored figure appeared before him, swinging the massive blade at him! York tried to block the attack, managing to barely redirect the heavy blade with his axe, but he fell back, dropping his weapon next to him. "_**I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU WOULD TRY SOMETHING LIKE THIS!" **_the man boomed, lifting his sword above his head. _**"THAT WAS A MISTAKE I WILL NEVER MAKE AGAIN!"**_

Before he could strike, though, the large dragon carving broke off from the wall behind him! He barely had enough time to turn as the massive head crushed him beneath it! It didn't kill him, though; the black armored man cursed loudly as he lay trapped underneath the heavy object. York quickly backed away from the blazing carving before turning and running off into the night, the dark figure's violent threats and curses echoing behind him as the village burned to the ground.

York didn't look back.

* * *

The black armored man stood among the smoldering wreckage that was once Zeal's home. The few surviving servants he had in the village cleared some of the debris away, revealing the burned body of Zeal.

He was still alive.

"Zeal, you see now what your so called 'comrade' has done. York is the one who did this to you, and he is the one who abandoned you. Left you to die. Can you not see now what we are trying to accomplish by reviving our god? With the power of the black dragon, you could become more powerful than any other. You could destroy York as easily as he did this village. As he did to you." The black armored man extended his right hand over Zeal's head, and a slight shimmer appeared between his gauntleted hand and Zeal.

Zeal stared blankly at him, his charred face not showing any kind of emotions. Slowly, his eyes began to darken; their once brilliant golden color faded to a glowing crimson, the color of blood.

"…Yes…" Zeal's voice was raspy, but full of hatred. "With that kind of power…

…I can have my vengeance."


	2. Chapter 2

_Here comes part two! In a bit of irony, I decided to keep the rest of this tale as a lighter, humorous story; kinda like looking back on fond memories, if I do say so myself. Wonder if that has anything to do with the title? Alright, enough of my blabbering; enjoy!_

* * *

-Rescue

York struggled down the mountain path, limping badly; there was a large open wound on his upper leg. His robes were riddled with tears and cuts, and several spots of the white outfit were dyed red with blood. Since he had escaped Crez a week ago, numerous monsters had attacked him; mostly small carnivores, but he had been forced to fight off a Great Jaggi as well, and with his already weakened state hampering him, the encounter had left him barely standing. His supplies were running low, his weapons were dull and cracked, and his wounds only served to make the going harder. Still he pressed on, though, desperate to get away from the smoldering remains of the village.

A high pitched bark from behind grabbed his attention. He turned, seeing several more Jaggi approaching him. _Dammit… I can't keep this up…_ York drew his axe and waved it at the creatures, trying to scare the beasts off. They kept rushing him, though; one leapt at him, knocking him onto his back! It attempted to bite his throat, but York found the strength to throw a punch into the carnivores jaw! As it was stunned, he grabbed his axe from where it had fallen and buried it into the Jaggi's neck. As he moved to pull it free, York heard a terrible cracking sound.

He stared in dismay at the handle of his weapon; the blade had broken off, leaving him with a foot and a half long stick! He groaned as he saw the two remaining Jaggi begin to close in on him, yipping and barking to each other.

Suddenly, a figure in dark armor appeared in front of him! With a swing of his large sword, the man instantly cut down the two carnivores. York stepped back apprehensively, at first thinking it was the leader from the village. "Hey, kid! You okay?!" the man asked, turning to face York. He had a scarred face and a white beard; he was old, but he still seemed strong.

York didn't respond as his vision began to grow fuzzy. Everything he heard began to muffle as well; he stumbled back, trying to keep his footing, but his fatigue overcame him and York fell forwards, blacking out.

* * *

"…I ain't sure, I found him on the road not far from here."

"And what about you? I haven't seen you 'round here neither, hunter."

"I was on my way out here to travel a bit. See if there were any new monsters out here. Ran into a Tigrex during my trek, that's where the bandages are from."

York slowly opened his eyes; he was in a small room, lying in a soft white mattress. His torso was wrapped in bandages, as was most of his body. York slowly began to push himself up, groaning in pain as he did. "Hmm? Seems he's finally awake."

"Whoa there! Son, you just lay down now. You ain't in any c'ndition t' move."

Two people were standing in the room; the older hunter who had helped York and another man, a doctor from the looks of it. York ignored his warning, and defying his aching muscles pushed himself upright. "Where… where am I?"

"Well son, this here hunter found ya on the road down yonder. Brought ya in half dead, he did," the doctor answered. York glanced at the old hunter, who was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room.

"Oof… thanks, uh…"

"Name's Felix. And don't mention it, kid."

"I'll… be sure not to. So, where is this?"

"This here be the town of Falton. Small village southa Pinleaf. 'Cordin ta Felix here, you were 'bout a mile westa here. What in tarnation were ya doin' out there in your c'ndition? That areas crawlin' wit' all sortsa beasties."

York thought frantically for a moment, trying to come up with a cover story. "I was… traveling. To Pinleaf."

"What fer? Ya got family there'r somethin'?"

"No, uh… I was going out to… become a hunter. There's a… school there, right?"

"I reckon that makes sense. Still, travelin' by yerself? And unarmed? That's suicide, son."

"The old man seemed to be doing just fine on his own," York replied. Felix smiled at the remark.

"Still got some guts in ya, huh? I think you'd make one helluva hunter with that attitude."

"Well, we're gettin' ahead of ourselves, ain't we? You two just rest up here for a bit 'fore ya go out again. Kid, you could use one a these." The doctor gave York a bottle containing a green liquid. He looked at it for a second before downing the potion, and was immediately glad he did; it dulled the aching in his body immensely.

"Thanks Doc," he said, returning the bottle. For some reason, the man seemed surprised.

"Now how'd you know my name, son?"

"…What?"

"My name. I don't recall tellin' ya, and I know I haven't seen ya 'fore t'day…"

"Wait, your name is…"

"Yeah. Doc."

"So you're…"

"Doctor Doc, at yer service." York stared at the man for a moment in disbelief, which he seemed to notice.

"Hey, ma was a strange one."

* * *

York completely healed up in a few days, thoroughly amazing Doc. "Damn son, most people that beat up wouldn' be movin' 'round so soon." Felix was also relatively impressed when York was already recovered.

"Hmm… looks like you've got more to ya than it seems, kid."

"Isn't that the truth…" York knew he couldn't tell them about Crez, so he tried to avoid the subject of where he was from and instead focused on where he was going.

"Felix, you said you were going to Pinleaf Village, right?" The old hunter looked at him for a moment before answering.

"You want to go with me, don'tcha? Well, I ain't got a problem with it, but can you handle yourself in a fight? I saw that Jaggi you killed, and judgin' by the looks of it you were in one hell of a scrap before."

"Trust me, I'm better than you know," York replied. The old man let out a hearty laugh.

"'Course ya are. I can't tell you how many rookies I've seen who've said those same words and ended up dead. But that won't stop ya, will it? Might as well getcha some weapons. You have a preference?"

Felix helped York decide on the weapons he would use; he eventually settled on the dual swords. Fortunately, the village tailor was able to patch up his robes and add some metal armor to them, so York still had some form of protection.

"Now these… I can use," York said, eyeing the weapons he had gotten from the old man.

"We'll see about that; there are plenty of monsters between here and Pinleaf. I'd like to see what you're made of, so show me what you've got, kid."

"You gonna call me 'kid' all the time, or are you actually going to ask for my name?" Felix seemed to take a moment to think before answering.

"Yes."

* * *

_I feel now is an important time to note that I began writing this several months ago, so I was far worse a writer then than I am now. I still liked the original idea of this though, so the changes I've made are few and very far between. Let me know what you think! Until next time, be sure to review, comment, and follow!_


	3. Chapter 3

_I must say, it certainly is refreshing to use my older characters as opposed to the new ones I'm using in the next fic. I almost wish I had found these sooner so I could've written them sooner! Still, nothing helps get in the mood for a new story quite like an older one! Enjoy!_

* * *

-Troublemaker

_A few days later…_

"So, this is Pinleaf Village?" York asked, gazing at the town. It was very… green, to say the least. Almost every building was made of light colored wood, and had at least one flower pot per window. Grass grew tall on either side of the small cobblestone walkway, and numerous wildflowers along with it. The path led to a large circular building with a red flag hanging by the front entrance; the Hunter's Academy. To the right of the school, the path led to the docks by the waterfront. Several ships were docked there, but there was also a long beach extending far out into the countryside. The white sand was bright, and the light blue water sparkled; it looked almost like a place you'd go for a vacation.

"Yes it is. I've been here a couple times before; always loved this place. It's very peaceful here, considering the number of monsters in the southern fields," Felix replied. "But, that's beside the point. You've definitely proved you've got what it takes to be a hunter, so just go on over and get yourself registered." York had spent the last week learning about hunting from Felix; in just a short time, he had already picked up much about the profession. He also gained experience; Felix had left most of the monsters they encountered to York, who had amazingly defeated every single one with little to no help.

"Alright, I will. Thanks for the help, old man." An amused expression crossed Felix's face.

"You gonna call me that all the time, or are you actually goin' to start usin' my name?"

"Yes."

* * *

York entered the academy, gazing about the room as he walked in. It was mostly on room; a large circular arena with a dirt floor. There were also several rooms surrounding the central arena; probably used for storage. There was already a large group of people inside; everyone had turned to face York, who had interrupted the instructor with his entry.

"Well well, looks like we've got a late arrival! Anyone ever teach you about showing up on time?" the man asked. York looked him up and down; he was experienced, that much was certain. He had numerous scars on his arms and bald head, and he had large bushy eyebrows.

"Nope." York's response led to several of the students bursting out in laughter.

"All of you, shut up!" the instructor roared. "So, favor yourself a smartass, do ya? We'll see how long you last here, kid."

"By 'how long I last', do you mean before you leave, or after?" A few more snickers could be heard from the students, but were quickly silenced when the man shot a glare at them.

"Alright, tough guy, let's see if you can back those words up. First exercise; the new guy has to beat me in a fight!" Several of the students looked at York nervously; the instructor was definitely strong, and as far as they knew was a much better fighter than York was. _This'll be good… _

"Instructor Epplin, is this really a good idea?" a girl in the back of the group asked. "I mean, he just showed up, and…"

"And he's been asking for it the second he walked in here! He's going to fight me, or he's going to leave like a coward."

"Alright, if you want to get beaten up that badly, I'll see what I can do," York replied, throwing his dual swords off to the side. "Don't blame me if you get a broken bone or two." The students began to form a circle around York and Epplin, eying them closely as they both got into fighting stances.

"Ha! What kinda stance is that?" the instructor laughed, eying York. "Open hands? Low to the ground? This'll be easy!" He began to throw a punch at York, who effortlessly threw the strike aside!

The man threw a few more punches which York likewise blocked, and he grew increasingly frustrated. "Come on! Can you only block?"

"Don't you wish," York replied. Epplin threw another jab at York, but this time York caught the man's fist! He quickly threw it aside and at the same time punched Epplin square in the jaw! The instructor stumbled back in surprise at the sudden uppercut, but York quickly followed up, striking him multiple times in a fluid string of punches and kicks.

After one more backhand strike, York kicked Epplin's legs out from under him, causing the man to fall to the ground with a heavy thud. The room was filled with a stunned silence; no one could believe what they had just seen, but it had just happened. Epplin groaned as he got to his feet, bleeding from the nose. York smirked at the sight. "I won't say I told you so."

"Shaddup, kid! Yer lucky I was goin' easy on you!" Epplin retorted, wiping the blood from his face. "All off you, lunchbreak! Be back in an hour, or you're running a hundred laps!"

Immediately, York was swarmed by the group of students! All of them were asking him questions, a few of which he managed to pick out. "Who are you?" "Where are you from?" "Where did you learn to fight like that?" "How did you do that punch-kick thing?"

"Whoa, whoa, one at a time!" he said, trying to get free of the crowd. Eventually, some of them backed up a little, giving him some breathing room. Someone from the group eventually spoke up again; "So, what is your name?"

"I'm York." He answered most of their questions, but he was careful not to reveal too much about himself, which was difficult; everyone seemed to want to hear about him. _Guess I can't blame 'em… I did just trash the instructor in a fight,_ he thought. Eventually, the group dispersed, not wanting to waste their break time, but satisfied at what they had learned.

As he was looking around the room, he noticed another group of people off by one of the walls. They apparently had been over there since just before the fight began; they hadn't been a part of the group that had been talking to York. It was a group of four guys who looked like they were harassing the girl who had spoken up earlier; she had a very red face, and her eyes were beginning to water. "What're they up to…?" he said to himself, going over to investigate. He heard them mocking her about wanting to be a huntress, and that was all he needed to go on.

The guys were laughing to each other as York stepped between them and the girl. They stopped snickering to size him up. "You got a problem, bud? Move outta the way, before we have to get rough with you." Without a word, he punched the guy straight in the face! He fell back, blood dripping from his nose. The others moved to attack York, but without breaking a sweat he beat them all down. The four lay on the ground in a heap, groaning in pain.

"Maybe instead of going around bugging other people about their careers, you should work on bettering yourselves, asshole." York spat at the group before the got to their feet and limped away, muttering to themselves. York then turned to face the girl; she was pretty, with medium length brown hair, bright green eyes, and a runner's build. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, and she stood a bit shorter than York did. She seemed somewhat shy, to him at least. She was staring wide-eyed at him in amazement. _Guess someone missed the fight, _he thought.

"Are you alright? Those guys looked like they were getting to you." York's question seemed to almost surprise her; she shook her head as if regaining focus before answering.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Who are you?"

"The name's York. How about you?" Her face reddened a bit, which York noticed.

"I'm Rose," she replied.

"Well, Rose, what do you say about being my hunting partner? I think you'd be a great hunter," he said quickly. _Wait, did I just say that?_

"R-really? Sure, why not?" she responded. York was both relieved and a bit frightened.

_Oh, what have I just gotten myself into…_

* * *

_Just think how differently the story would've turned out if York hadn't saved the day! Still, it would seem he was a bit more impulsive when he was younger; I bet a lot of us can relate. Alright, thanks for reading, folks, and I hope you enjoy the next one even more! Remember to review and follow!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Writing about the backstory to my own story is actually much more fun than just thinking about it. What my characters did to get to the points they were at, their experiences... some I touched on, sure, but here's where the juicier details lie. So, bite into this sweet apple and keep reading! Enjoy!_

* * *

-Friends and Pranks

"Okay, first up! Team one, Hugh and Zephyr! On your marks… get set… go!"

The two began sprinting through the obstacle course set up behind the academy at Epplin's command. The course was designed to test one's mobility and endurance; there was a large wall one had to vault over, a thin bridge to run across, several thick logs to jump across a small stream on, and, at the end, a tall rock wall to climb up.

Hugh and Zephyr cleared the first wall with little difficulty, racing to the next obstacle. Zephyr made it across the bridge easily, but Hugh almost fell off towards the middle. Once they cleared that part, the pair had to skip across the logs in the small river. Hugh made it past with relative ease, and Zephyr would have as well, except for the log he landed on being soaked and causing him to slip. He recovered quickly, though, and the two proceeded to the rock wall. They began their climb separately, Hugh going first. After a short mistake halfway up, the pair eventually climbed to the top, completing the course.

"Your time was two minutes, fifteen seconds! And you had a total of three mistakes between you. Not bad at all, you two." Hugh and Zephyr high-fived before heading down the rock wall using a small path on the side. "Okay, next up! Team two, York and Rose!"

"That's us! Let's go, York!"

"Yeah, right behind you."

The two took their places next to each other on the starting line, and Epplin began counting down. "On your marks… Get set… Go!" York and Rose began sprinting towards the first obstacle. York cleared the wall in a single try, pulling Rose up after him. The pair likewise crossed the thin bridge, both having perfect balance. Once clearing that, they moved on to the small river, where the logs were sticking out of. York quickly jumped across them, amazingly dexterous. Rose followed soon after, and the two approached the rock wall. York again ran up the wall, scaling it with little difficulty. Looking closely, he saw a clear path straight to the top, which he pointed out to Rose. After about half a minute of climbing, they reached the top.

Epplin was speechless as he looked at his small timer. "One minute and seventeen seconds?! And you didn't even screw up once?! This is unheard of!" Rose practically jumped in amazement before tightly hugging York.

"We did it! There's no way anyone'll beat that!"

"Agh… Rose… not… that… tight…" he choked out.

"Huh? What was that?"

"Can't… breath…" Rose quickly released him, and he began gasping for air.

"Oh my god, sorry York!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's fine… Just try not to choke me out again, alright?"

York and Rose made their way down the ramp as the next group began their run. At the bottom, Hugh and Zephyr were waiting. "Hey, York, right?"

"Yeah? What's up?" York was expecting the two wanted to pick a fight with him, but was genuinely surprised when they congratulated them instead.

"I've never seen someone move like that! And damn, you climbed up that wall in no time! You're definitely going to have to show me that sometime," Hugh said.

"Well, maybe. It isn't easy to do, I'll tell ya that much," York replied.

For the rest of the day, the group conversed with each other, laughing and sharing experiences. Still, York felt a bit bad not telling the others more about himself, but was fearful of what they might think if he revealed his true side, so he stuck to trying to make up a few tales or keeping quiet while listening to his new friends. And he had to admit that for once in his life, York felt truly at home.

* * *

_Later that night…_

"Come on, I'm tellin' ya, this'll be great!"

Hugh was rolling a large barrel into the basement storage room followed by York. It was late; everyone else had already gone home to sleep. "Hugh, while I get that this'll be fun, don't you think we should at least make sure Epplin isn't here? Last thing we need is for him to catch us doing this."

"Why'd that old coot be hangin' around here this late? There's nothin' to worry about, trust me!" Hugh began to tie up a long fuse to the barrel, with York making sure nothing got set alight too early by their lamp.

"Hey! Who's in here?" The two froze as Epplin walked into the basement area, shining a lamp. The light landed on the two, and Epplin's eyes narrowed as he recognized them. "Just what the hell are you two doing down here?"

"Oh, us? We were just getting this barrel of raw meat down here like you asked," Hugh quickly said.

"Raw meat? I never told you to do that," the instructor responded suspiciously.

"Yeah, you did," York said. "You told us we had to stay late and get the meat down here for survival training tomorrow. So it wouldn't spoil. Right, Hugh?"

"Yeah, what he said." Epplin eyed the two of them for a moment, deep in thought.

"Well, that does sound like something I would say… But still, you two actually listening to me for once? This is news to me."

"Well, better late than never, right... sir?" York had a hard time choking out that last word, but it seemed to do the trick. Epplin left them with a broad grin on his face, happy to have (supposedly) gained their respect.

"Hot damn, that was close," Hugh said after he left.

"Tell me about it. You make one hell of a liar, you know that?" York responded. The two finished rigging up the barrel before hurrying out of the academy.

The next morning, Epplin was standing above the hatch to the basement. The other students were gathered around as well, listening to his lecture on survival, while Hugh stood off to the side. York nodded to him, and Hugh quickly lit a match on a small bit of exposed string, quickly dropping it and regrouping with York, Rose, and Zephyr. The two were having a hard time keeping straight faces, which Rose seemed to notice. "What are you guys laughing about?"

"Just wait… in about seven seconds, you'll see."

"…And that is why it is always important to carry dung bombs with you! Any questions?" A short guy in the front of the group raised his hand. "Do they really smell that bad?" No sooner had he said this than the floor was suddenly blown out from underneath Epplin! With a surprised yelp he fell into the basement area and landed with a loud crash, and a large cloud of brown gas slowly began to rise from the floor boards. The noxious fumes began to fill the arena, and all the students ran out of the building, coughing and gasping for fresh air.

Soon after, Epplin stormed out, his face beat red with anger. "York. Hugh. I'd like to have a word with you two... and your partners. Everyone else, you are dismissed." The four followed Epplin around to the back of the academy, where his tranquil fury was finally unleashed.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO REPAIR THIS?! AND THE SMELL! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELVES?!"

Hugh and York glanced at each other quickly, before Hugh responded; "It was worth it." Epplin's rant got worse from there, dragging on for the better part of a half hour. Rose and Zephyr tried to help bail the two out, but nothing could curb the man's fury.

"You four have got to be the most confusing people I have ever met! How the hell do you manage to stay at the top of the class while doing crap like this?!"

"I dunno," York responded calmly with a shrug. "Maybe we aren't learning from you." The others laughed at the comment and Epplin only became angrier.

"That is it! Get out of my face, all of you! I'll decide on a suitable punishment for all of you before too long…"

* * *

_Ah, the joys of a good prank... It's actually a ton of fun to write about short incidents they brought up in the main story too. Just embellishing the key points using smaller details and building up from there seems like a great way to work for me. I hope its proven to be fun for all of you as well; otherwise, I'd be a pretty crappy writer! And, well, I don't think I am, at least. Haha, right? ...right? Anyways, thanks yet again for reading, and remember to review and follow if you haven't already! See you next time!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Replaying a few Assassin's Creed games made me realize that there were a lot of time skips in those games. Just what happened in the few months or years between memories for those characters? What did they do, and what did they say? Well, I hope you don't mind me forcing you to ask yourself those questions about this tale, since two years just flew by! Sorry, I have to keep it short so you can remember I'm working on the sequel! Alright, enjoy!_

* * *

_Two years later…_

"How's it goin', old man?"

York, Rose, Hugh and Zephyr entered the village tavern, where Felix was sitting having a drink. The old hunter smiled as he saw them. "Ah, there you all are! It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, you've been gone for years," York replied, taking a seat opposite the man with his friends.

Felix laughed; "Yes. I had a few important missions for the Guild I had to complete. But you've all been causin' quite the ruckus, haven't ya? Somethin' about an explosion in the training hall basement?"

"Yeah, we had to practice outside for a while because of that. It was much better than in the damn building; it gets way too hot in there," Hugh said with a grin.

"I'm just glad Epplin's punishment wasn't that bad," Rose added. "All he made us do is go out and gather felvine to try and clear out the scent from the building."

"Yeah, well, that wasn't exactly all he made us do," Hugh replied. "He made York and I go after a pack of ludroths, including a Royal, remember?"

"To be fair, that was completely your fault," Zephyr retorted. "We tried to help you."

"Alright, Mr. "Good luck with that", sure. Lots of help came from you while you were four miles away!"

"Hugh, quit overreacting, it wasn't even that difficult of a fight," York said. "I mean, sure, you almost got crushed, but you lived, right?"

Felix laughed as the four explained their recent exploits. "Ya know, Epplin is an old friend of mine. I've known him since the start of my own career, so I would like to say I know him well, and he's nothing short of amazed by all of you. He told me when I arrived that even though you four were the biggest pain in the asses he's ever dealt with, you're all far better than even some of his old partners. He's actually considering letting all of you take the Hunter's Exam early!"

"Wait, you're kidding, right?" Zephyr asked, surprised. The old hunter shook his head.

"Nope, he's serious about it. He said that even though you were 'the absolute most difficult students he's ever had', you all were more than ready for it."

Rose practically leapt in excitement! "Wow, this is awesome! We're gonna be hunters!"

York laughed a bit at her zest; "Well, hold up, lady! We still gotta pass the exam first!"

"Good, you're still seeing the whole picture," Felix said, grinning. "I ain't sure what this year's exam will be like, but usually it's about the same; just you, a monster, and a lot of fighting. It's taking place out in Loc Lac, the hunting capital of the country."

"Wait, isn't that at least a week from here with transportation?" York asked. "Please tell me we don't have to pay for it…" Felix looked amused.

"Well, it's free for examinees, so don't worry. I am interested in why you don't want to pay, though." York groaned, and the others laughed.

"Rose talked me into buying her a new bow from the blacksmith. Damn thing cost me a fortune," York said, exasperated.

"To be fair, I could've bought it too, but I hate that smith!" Rose said, causing the others to laugh.

"You mean Wilson? And why is this?" Felix asked, bemused. Rose's face went a little red, and she kept her mouth shut.

Hugh spoke up, though; "He got some nice alone time with her, and the armor he made her showed everyone more skin than not!" Rose immediately spun around and kicked him square in the groin, making him fall to the ground in pain and the others start laughing even harder.

"Well, I can see why you're… unhappy with him."

"Unhappy? The guy's lucky he isn't six feet under," Zephyr said, helping Hugh onto a bench. "Rose damn near killed him when she got out of the dressing room. It certainly was a sight for sore-" Rose shot him a glare, and Zephyr immediately shut up.

"No one will tell anyone outside the village about this. GOT IT?" Her tone was absolutely threatening, and the others all agreed with no hesitation.

"Anyways, you're all leaving tomorrow for the exam. Make sure you have everything packed up, alright?"

"Shouldn't be a problem. We only need three boxes between us," Hugh said, standing up. Felix looked a bit confused.

"Oh? Why only three?"

"Cause Rose's armor is small enough to fit in York's box!" Rose again kicked him, and he fell to the ground in agony.

Zephyr sighed; "You know, you were just asking for it that time."

"It… was worth it…"

Felix again laughed at the sight as Zephyr helped Hugh back into the chair. "Oh, and York, lucky for you; I was able to sell a few of those trinkets you made when I was in the city. Here, this is yours," he said, tossing a pouch of coins to York.

"Thank god, I was practically broke. I hated having to sell those things, but I needed the money."

"Hey, how much did you get?" Rose asked, a mischievous look on her face.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, and no. I am not buying you that bracelet! It cost seven hundred gold for the love of god!"

"Come on, York! Today's the half-off sale!" She pleaded, making a cute face. York tried to keep a stern face, but he had a strained expression, and he eventually gave in to her charm.

"…Oh, dammit, fine. But just this once, alright?"

"Yay! Thanks, York! Let's go then!" she exclaimed, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him towards the door.

"Ow! Slow down! Ow, quit pulling me!" Hugh and Zephyr stayed in the tavern, laughing at the sight.

"He forgot that it's only twenty-five percent off, didn't he?" Hugh asked Zephyr.

"Yes. Yes he did."

* * *

_The next day…_

"Wait, you two seriously shared a box?" Hugh asked incredulously.

"Yeah, even though you're an idiot, it was a good idea," Rose replied. York was dragging the box along behind him on the dock, looking very irritated.

"Yeah, so now not only am I flat broke, but I gotta haul both of our crap over there too. Thanks a lot, ya friggin' moron." Hugh and Zephyr laughed as York pulled the box next to the ship's gangway.

Felix soon walked out across the dock to meet them. "Well, looks like you all are ready to go."

"Yeah," Hugh answered. "Already said good-bye to everyone else, too. Just gotta load our stuff and we'll be all set."

"Good, you should all have at least a full day before the exam to explore the city a bit. Be sure to check out the shops, too; I'm sure you'll all find something useful there."

"I'll bet. Hey, isn't Epplin going to see us off?" Zephyr asked.

The old hunter grinned at the mention of the instructor; "No, he said he was glad you were all heading off and that he was sorry he couldn't make it, as he was busy."

"Okay, does he think we're complete idiots?" York asked, disbelieving.

"Well, that's what he told me to tell you. He really said he was glad he was free of you after all these years, and good riddance."

"Okay, now that's definitely Epplin."

Suddenly, a pink-haired girl called out from the shore; "Bye, York! I'll miss you! Good luck!" The others looked at him, while he had a puzzled look on his face.

"Who the hell was that?"

"You've… never noticed her?" Rose asked.

"She's been after you like crazy since you showed up!" Hugh said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, didn't you know?" Zephyr asked, somewhat amused.

"No, I honestly can't say I've ever seen her before in my life. Wait, who're we talking about again?"

"…The pink-haired girl."

"Who?"

Hugh looked at him, extremely confused. "Can you seriously not remember her?" York looked like he had no clue what they were talking about.

"Okay, is this some kinda joke or something?"

Felix looked at York, almost concerned. "Are you feeling alright, boy?"

"Yeah, I am."

"…You sure? Didn't take a blow to the head or anythin'?"

"I haven't taken a hit the entire time I've been here, old man."

"And yet, it still seems like you have brain trauma," Hugh said.

"Whatever, we can talk about weird imagination people later. Let's get going," York said, boarding the ship. The others soon followed, whispering to each other about what they had just witnessed. The ship set sail not long after, and the four waved good-bye to the old hunter on the docks as they departed.

* * *

_Haha, running gags... I was watching XanaUzumaki's Legend of Zelda abridged a while ago, and I remembered a few rather funny ones while proofreading this. Hooray for the internet! And yes, I realize I may have been trying a bit too hard during that last bit with Jesse, but still, it was amusing when I wrote it. What can I say; I gotta have a few laughs myself, don't I? Anyways, remember to review and follow, and hey, if you want to see something done in the sequel or if you have any suggestions or character requests, I'll see what I can do! Until next time, my faithful reader! _


	6. Chapter 6

_Ever have those days after a long trip that you just want to lie down and sleep for a week and a half? I know I have! I tell ya, travel can make even the nicest of people into devils if they get irritated enough. Still, I trust that if you're reading this on a trip,(which I highly doubt you are, but still) you'll at least remember to try and have some fun. And put that phone away; there's a beachball coming towards you! ...In the middle of winter! Yeah, kinda fell flat on that one. Well, hopefully this chapter doesn't! Enjoy!_

* * *

-Mistakes

_About one week later…_

"Are you kidding me?"

The four were standing in the Bright Wing Inn, nearby the arena in Loc Lac. They were tired from the journey, and all of them (Except Rose) had to lug their boxes across the crowded desert capital to find the inn. Hugh and Zephyr arrived first, as Rose had stopped several times on the way to look in the various shops and stalls. York was currently arguing with the inn keeper.

"Sorry, kid. I only had three rooms available. And yer friends over there already paid fer individual rooms." York turned around, looking at the others irately.

"Hey, don't look at me; we got here first," Hugh said, smiling slyly. "Which means you and Rose are gonna have to share the other one."

York looked at Rose for help, but saw her face redden a bit when he met her gaze; "Well, is there any way we could get a second bed for the room then?"

"Well, probably," the innkeeper replied. "That is, if'n yer willin' ta pay for it."

"God dammit… How much?" he asked, having expected that.

"Oh, maybe thirty gold or so. I'll throw in a folding wall so you and yer… girlfriend can split the room." Hugh and Zephyr burst out laughing immediately, and Rose blushed in embarrassment.

York simply sighed; "Alright, fine, whatever, just take the damn gold and get the room set up, will ya?"

York handed the man the money, and the innkeeper went to get the extra bed for the room. Hugh and Zephyr were still cracking up about the earlier comment while York dragged the box into their shared room, followed by Rose.

"Well, at least it's something, right?" she said, looking at the small room's interior.

"Yeah, 'something' is one way to put it. That wall better not be too big; there's almost no room in here!" York replied, dropping the equipment box with a loud thud.

Not long after, the innkeeper moved the second bed into the room and set up the wall between the two. Fortunately, the guy seemed to not have much of a sense of humor, so he didn't try to continue teasing them. York crashed on the second bed, thoroughly exhausted. _God dammit, and I thought Crez was bad… This is killing me in an entirely different way! _

Rose suddenly poked her head around the folding wall; at least, he thought she did, as his eyes were closed. "York?"

He let out a long, drawn out groan. "What now?"

"Well, um, I was just wondering… why didn't you… say we weren't… 'dating' when the innkeeper joked about it?"

"Because if I did, that would make me seem insecure, and it would also give them the satisfaction of getting under my skin. Which is probably very easy right now, considering most of it is peeling off. The sun friggin' burns here!" he snapped, still keeping his eyes closed. He couldn't see her reaction, but he felt bad about his tone; she hadn't said anything for a few moments, but he was pretty sure she hadn't moved from her spot.

"Look, I'm sorry Rose, but I'm practically dead right now. Can I just rest for a bit?"

"…Alright, it's getting late anyways. We can check out the city tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," he replied tiredly.

"You promise?"

"Yeah, okay, I promise!" he said quickly, just wanting to rest. York could practically see her smiling through his eyelids.

"Thanks, York."

He quickly blinked his eyes open, realizing what he had said.

_God. Fucking. Dammit._

* * *

_York quickly blinked his eyes open; he was lying beneath a tree for some reason. "Wasn't I just in Loc Lac...?" The hunter slowly got to his feet, feeling much lighter than normal. He looked about the area warily, taking in his surroundings. It all seemed familiar to him; there was a large mountain in the distance, with a small hut lying at its base. The area was somewhat overgrown with trees, and a small lake was within walking distance of the house. York made his way through the area, heading towards the house at a somewhat slow pace._

_"Why do I remember this place so clearly...? Wait, wasn't this...?" A pair of dark cloaked figures drew his attention. They silently moved through the woods without making a single noise; a short boy, probably only about seven years old, was with a taller, muscular figure. The pair moved into position behind the house, and York ran towards the hut to try and keep them in sight. He heard the man addressing the boy in a very rough manner._

_"Listen, boy, for you to be worth anything to us, you must follow through with any task you are given. It's either you, or them. I shall leave the last one for you, understood?"_

_"Y... Yes..." the boy replied, somewhat nervously. _

_"Good. If you fail in this task, you will not be given any food for another week. You remember what happened last time, boy."_

_"O... Okay..." The taller man slipped inside the building, followed by the boy. York entered as well; the others didn't seem to be able to see him. "I guess I must be dreaming... But I remember all of this..."_

_He heard the sound of a dagger leaving its sheath, along with several pained groans and a short yelp. York looked on in a stunned silence as two bodies fell to the floor, blood flowing from their necks. The tall, cloaked figure stood, wiping his blade clean of the crimson liquid coating the silver blade. A different boy was huddled in a corner of the room, trying to hide from the man's piercing glare, but to no avail._

_"He's the perfect age for you, boy. Kill him."_

_The cloaked boy was nowhere in sight though. The tall man sneered in irritation as he looked about the small room for any sign of the boy, shouting in anger when he couldn't find him. _

_"Foolish child! You will be punished for this! But as for this one... There can be no survivors..." The man approached the child, dagger drawn; he had a sinister, malevolent look on his face that held no mercy or sympathy. He was a cold-blooded murderer, through and through. "Say good night, worm!"_

_But before the man could strike, York heard a crash and a short yell as the dark cloaked boy ran from his hiding place and leapt onto the man's back! Holding on tightly, the boy drew his own dagger while the man struggled to throw him off, howling in frustration. "What do you think you're doing, brat!?"_

_The boy's response was to plunge the dagger into the man's back, burying it to the hilt! The boy pulled the blade free and stabbed the man again and again, drawing several pained shouts from the man as the cold steel sank into his flesh repeatedly. The man's struggling began to lessen though, and eventually he toppled to the ground, dead. The boy let go before he collapsed, landing in a sitting position and breathing heavily, as if he were in horror of what he had just done._

_York looked on the scene still, remembering fully what the dream was e boy eventually got to his feet and went to the other boy, who was still huddled in the corner. "It's okay, I won't hurt you..."_

_"Wha... what did he do to ma and pa?" the boy asked shakily._

_The other boy didn't reply immediately, turning away sorrowfully. After a moment, he turned back to face the boy. "Look, it isn't safe here any more... More of these guys could come back... You have to run as far away as you can, get away from this place. That's the only way you'll be safe."_

_"Wh... where will I go...?"_

_"Wherever your feet take you. Now come on; you have to go now."_

_"W... Wait... who are you? What's your name?"_

_"...It's not really important... You really need to get out of here."_

_"Well... Can't I at least call you a friend? You... you saved my life, after all... I'm Jeremy, who're you?"_

_"...I'm York. Now get out of here, and don't look back!"_

_"The other child nodded and got to his feet, running towards the door. He stopped before exiting though. "Thank you for saving me, York. I swear I'll never forget this."_

_"Don't mention it... Just save yourself, alright?"_

_York watched as his younger self stayed behind in the dark hut while Jeremy fled from the house and into the wilderness. "I hope that kid made it out alright..." he thought to himself. At this point, everything seemed to freeze around him, yet he could still move freely. He slowly walked towards his younger self, crouching down to get a look at his dream-self's face. The boy already had a somewhat sharpened and rugged face, yet still retained a very youthful and rounded appearance. His brown hair was much shorter, but his blue eyes still shined like they always did. "Even at seven, I had to do things like this... I just hope I can escape it. I get the feeling those people are still out there though; I can't let them continue their bloody rituals. If ever there's a chance for me to fight them, let it come; even if I must face them alone, I can't allow that to happen ever again. Not while I can do anything about it..."_

* * *

York awoke quickly with a start; it was still in the middle of the night, but his heart was racing from the dream he had just witnessed. He sat up, taking a moment to slow his breath as he collected his thoughts. Eventually, he climbed out of the bed and stood by the window in the room; it allowed the large, pale moon to flood the small room with a dim light, but gave the city a dark silhouette. The large tusk protruding from the central oasis was very prevalent as well, raising up into the starry sky like a giant, spiked obelisk. The view was actually rather amazing; it was a beautiful night by all regards, and it brought a small smile to the hunter's face.

_This world is a great place... and those people sought to destroy it. I hope I did enough to prevent them from ever causing damage again, but if they rise again, I'll be there to put them down._ "That'll be an oath I'll never forget..."

"Hmm...? York...? What're you doing up...?" Rose asked, looking around the folding wall tiredly. He was a bit surprised to see she was awake, and he hoped she hadn't heard him. "I heard you mumbling a ton over there... You could've told me you talked in your sleep, you know."

"Well, uh... sorry Rose, I guess I didn't realize either. I just had a bit of a dream, don't worry about it. Head back to bed, alright? I'll try and keep my trap shut for the rest of tonight."

"Okay, thanks, York. Good night." the huntress disappeared behind the wall again, and York heard her lie down on the mattress and slowly drift off into sleep. He continued to look out the window, staring intently at the large pale sphere in the sky.

..._Rose, Hugh, Zephyr... They could've all been targets too... I have to keep them safe as well... They welcomed me as a friend, and I'm not going to lose that, even if I have to hide my past from them... No matter what, I will keep my friends safe. _Eventually, York found himself growing tired and retired to his mattress, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

_Yup, we all have those moments, don't we? Gotta say, the f-bomb can be pretty flippin hilarious if used sparingly. Of course, it can also add a ton of drama, and meaning, and yadayadayada. I'm not gonna go off on a rant about it; not like I give a- you know what, I'm just gonna stop myself now before I make a really bad joke. People only like good ones, supposedly. Now, as for the dream scene, I was hoping to help clear up a bit more about how the whole Crez-cult worked, and I hope I did that fairly well. Truth be told, that was all entirely new, as was the night scene. Still, it was enjoyable enough to write, and I'll be sure to keep a close eye on these chapters to see if I can flesh out anymore details. Alright, don't forget to review and follow, and don't be afraid to PM me with questions or requests! Or fanmail! ...Especially fanmail! Until next time!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Sometimes I get the urge when writing to make a shout out to pieces of inspiration I find while carousing my sources. Well, today's one of those days! I'd again like to shout out to probably my biggest source of inspiration in writing, dashboardgecko! Seriously, he's great. If you haven't read 'The Lost Civilization' yet, I want you to immediately go, pull it up, and read every chapter he's posted up to this point in time. Seriously, I mean it. Do it now! ...Ok, you done? Good, welcome back! I hope you enjoy this one!_

* * *

-Business as Usual

_The next morning…_

"So, how'd you two lovebirds sleep? Enjoy each other's company?" Hugh asked teasingly.

"Hugh, shut the hell up," York said, cracking his back. "That extra bed he gave us is like a friggin' rock. I'm lucky I got any sleep at all."

"Well, at least you two have a room, right?" Zephyr replied, smirking.

"Okay, for once can we just stop screwing around for an hour? I'm starving!" Rose said. The others all agreed with her; it had been days since they'd had a decent meal.

"Oh, and Hugh? You're buying," York said.

"What? You can't tell me-"

"Shut up, get your wallet, and let's go."

* * *

The group found a tavern not far from the inn, and wasted no time in ordering their meals. "And tell the cook if he finishes our food fast, we'll pay double!" York shouted after the waitress. He turned back to the table to find Hugh staring at him in disbelief. "And by we, I meant you."

"Ya know, if I didn't feel bad for you buying that crap for Rose, I'd never have agreed to pay for this," Hugh said, irritated.

"Hey! It's not 'crap'! That stuff is really nice!" Rose defended.

"Okay, the bracelet, sure. But the Qurupeco lamp?" Zephyr asked. "That just seemed like you were trying to bankrupt him."

The food arrived quickly, and the four almost instantaneously devoured their meals. The waitress made sure she got double the price of the meals (like York said she could) and the group left the tavern feeling satisfied. York pulled up his hood as they stepped outside; he still wore the white robes he kept from Crez, except with a few pieces of hunter's armor over the vital bits for protection. "Isn't that going to be a bit warm?" Rose asked.

"I'd rather be too hot than let the sun burn me alive again. Plus, these aren't that bad; they keep me pretty cool, actually."

"Well, good, cause we're going to check out the stores again!" Rose exclaimed.

York actually didn't look as irritated as he normally did; "Alright, but we're stopping at the inn first. I need to grab some things to sell off."

"Zeph and I will check out the armor shop after we find the best path to the arena for tomorrow," Hugh said as the two turned to leave.

"Alright, try not to get lost," York replied. "I really don't want to have to go looking for you."

York and Rose went back to the inn, where he grabbed several things from his equipment chest; mostly small rarities he collected back in Pinleaf, including a dazzling crown he fixed from some broken pieces he found on the beach. "This better fetch a good price…" he muttered, tucking it away into his item pouch before slinging the bag to his back.

Soon after, the pair headed into an equipment shop. Several weapons were on display on the wall behind the counter, where even more items were laid out for sale. "Khan I halp you?" the owner asked with a thick accent. He was a huge, muscular man who must've stood at least seven feet off the ground.

"Eh, yeah, I'd like to sell a few things," York replied, taking his pack off and spilling the contents onto the table.

"Vahl, looks tah me lihke you hahve more than 'few things'," the shopkeeper observed while going through the stash.

"Naow aihn't this a nice leetle peece!" he said, picking the crown out of the pile. "I buy your vares, leetle mahn. Haow much do you vant?"

"Does seven thousand gold sound good?"

"Yha, that is fair price. Thaink you for tha beesness," the shopkeeper said, getting the money and handing it over to York. York sighed in relief as he felt the weight of the coin pouch in his hand; he wasn't bankrupt anymore. A weapon on the back wall caught his attention as he pocketed the gold.

"Hey, could I see that axe?"

"Tha leetle vhan? Yha, vhan zekond." The axe appeared to have a bluish metallic head with a hollowed out center. It was a bit over a foot long, with a spike on the other side of the bladed end. It had a very balanced weight, as well; the weapon felt like it was practically made for him.

"What's this made out of?"

"A strong mehtahl knohwn as Cahrbolihte. It ees very stuhrdy; vhan couhld naht fihnd ihts equahl ahnyvere."

"How much would this cost?" York asked, expertly twirling the axe around his fingers.

"Vall, I hahven't beehn ahble to zell that for vehry lohng time. I reahlly do naht cahre; take tha dham thing," the owner replied.

"Seriously? Well, uh, thanks, I guess," York said, surprised.

"Ihf you ahre tahnkful, you vill stohp flihping it ahround like mahd mahn."

"Oh, uh, sorry."

York sheathed the axe in his belt before going over to where Rose was standing looking at some of the other wares. "Hey, I got what I needed. Ready to head out?"

"York, check this out! Isn't this one of those collapsing pick-axes you made?" she said, holding a small tube-like object out to him.

"Yeah, it is… Is this where Felix sold them? Weird, I didn't make this many of them," York replied, looking at the huge stack of the pick-axes.

"Vait, you ahre the vahn who mahde those tings?" the shopkeeper called out from behind the counter. "Those hahve been zelling lihke hot cahkes, leetle mahn. Mahny hunters ahre using them naow. They ahre mahny tihmes eaziear to cahrry. Tha Guild has ahctually started mahss produhction of them."

"What!? Are you kidding?" York asked, amazed.

"Noh. Do I loohk lihke I ahm? Tehll you vhat; ihf you mahke ahnything ehlse lihke those, I vill buy them fromm you. You ahre genius, leetle mahn!" York was a bit surprised that the owner had made a business offer to him, and judging by the man's demeaner, he wasn't one you would turn down.

"Well, uh, thanks, I guess I will… uh…"

"Tha nahme is Johrge. Pleasare doing beesness vith you, leetle mahn."

"My… my name's York. You don't have to call me that, George," York replied. The man's expression hardened a bit.

"Vell, ihf I ahm to call you by your nahme, you should aht least sahy mihne right. Iht's 'Johrge', noht 'Geohrge."

"Okay, okay, sorry! Come on Rose, let's go."

York and Rose exited the shop and started walking over to the armor shop. "Thank god, that guy's voice was starting to hurt my eyes," York said as they walked away from the item store.

"Wait, what? How does a voice make your eyes hurt?" Rose asked, confused.

"I don't know, and I really don't want to know, either."

* * *

_Ah, Jorge... How fun it was to write like hulking brute. I found much inspiration for his voice from dashboardgecko's character Lynn, who, truth be told, kinda hurt my own eyes to read at first. Not sure if he'll ever appear again, but hey, he just might. Alright, thanks again for reading, and remember to review and follow! Until next time, auf wiedersehen! ...That's a bit of German for you all._


	8. Chapter 8

_Sometimes when playing Monster Hunter, I wish there was an option to view complete sets of armor from the shop menus as opposed to one piece. Maybe I'm the only one, but still, it'd help a lot more for reference if I didn't have to grind for a new armor set just to look at it. Still, I 'm not saying anything bad to all you completionists out there who enjoy that; kudos to you, in fact, for creating everything there is to make... multiple times. Seems like there should be a real man of genius commercial like that... Alright, enjoy!_

* * *

-Guardian

The two entered the armor shop, where several new suits of armor could be seen on mannequins. Many sets looked very well made; York thought he had seen a variation of the standard Jaggi mail that looked at least three times stronger.

"Wow, there's a lot to choose from, isn't there?" Rose said, looking at the lighter weight armors. "Do you need anything, York?"

"No, I'll stick with the hunter's armor. It's worked out so far, so why not?"

"Well, guess that means I can pick out a better set!" she said eagerly, going over to the higher grade sets.

"...I really should have seen that one coming…" York muttered to himself.

He followed after Rose, who was eagerly looking between the stronger suits of armor. Her eyes fell onto a white suit. "Wow, look at that one! It looks like it'd be a really good buy," Rose said, staring intently at the armor.

"Says it's made from a Barioth," York said, eyeing the small descriptive plaque below it. He looked further down at the cost. "Oh, hell no! There is no way I can afford this!"

"Well, what if we pool our money together?"

"Rose, this costs almost fifty-THOUSAND gold! Unless you've got more than forty-thousand on you, there isn't any way we're gonna buy this now."

Rose looked at the suit in disappointment. "Dammit, and it looked so cool…"

York sighed, but tried to console her; "Tell you what, once we've gotten higher ranks we'll make you your own suit. I'll even look into armor designing so you don't have to deal with a smith again, alright?" She looked up at him with joy, almost jumping up and down with happiness!

"Really?! Oh, thank you, York!"

"Yeah, don't mention it. Hey, you didn't see Hugh or Zephyr around here, did you?"

They looked around, but there was no sign of their friends. York sighed, irritated; "Well, looks like they got lost. Now that one I saw coming."

"Should we go and look for them?" Rose asked.

"I'll look for them while you buy your armor. Wait outside the shop for me, alright?"

"But wait, I might not have enough to get anything!" she protested, holding up her coin purse. York rolled his eyes before tossing her his wallet.

"Just don't spend all of it, alright? I still need to feed myself."

York exited the store and looked around the street; _There's no way I'll find them in this crowd…_ He gazed at the stores and other buildings; they were built almost side-by-side, creating a pathway on the flat roofs that led down the street towards the arena. York saw a few crates piled up next to one of the shops, and quickly dashed towards them. He weaved through the crowd as he ran, not bumping or pushing any of the bystanders who watched his as he went by.

Quickly climbing up the crates that were conveniently stacked in a way that they led to the roof, York dashed across the rooftops, looking into the crowded streets for Hugh and Zephyr. He searched for about a half hour; by the time he caught sight of the two, the streets were emptying and the sun was lowering. He jumped down off the roof, landing lightly before them. "Holy-! York, what the hell?!" Hugh said, surprised by his sudden appearance.

"I've been looking for you guys for a half-hour! Why didn't you head over to the armor shop?"

"Well, that WAS the plan," Zephyr began. "…but then Hugh decided to chase after some girl he saw. After getting thoroughly lost, Hugh took a low blow from the chick and I had to cart him halfway here."

York looked at Hugh questioningly, and Hugh looked away; "Hey, she was hot."

"Oh, whatever," York said. "Just head back to the inn. Chances are the store's gonna close down soon anyways. I have to go back and get Rose. I'll see you when we get back." He gave them detailed directions to the inn before again taking to the roofs and heading back towards the armor shop. Since he wasn't constantly stopping to scan the crowd, he was able to make the run in about ten minutes. He saw Rose standing outside the shop holding a large bundle, and someone else standing near her. It was a guy trying to talk to her, from what he could hear. York moved slowly onto the roof above them, trying to hear the conversation.

"Come on, babe, why not? I'm a cool guy!"

"I already told you, no!"

"But why? Give me one reason you won't go out with me."

"I'll give you three; one, I don't even know who you are; two, you haven't even asked me for my name; and three, I'm already taken!"

"Well, what is your name?"

"I'm not telling you! Why can't you just take a hint?"

"Because I don't let things get away from me. Come on, let's get to know each other!"

"No! I already told you, I have a boyfriend!"

"And where would he be? Hmm? I'd like to have a word with him."

"He… should be back any minute now…"

"This 'boyfriend' of yours isn't even real, is he? That's it, I'm tired of playing Mr. Nice Guy; come here!"

The guy grabbed her wrist, and that was all that York needed to act; he jumped down from the roof, landing straight on top of the guy! York slammed him into the ground, both of his feet planted in the guy's stomach. "I wouldn't try that if I were you, asshole." The guy was sputtering on the ground, coughing from the impact while holding his head in pain.

"Agh… Who… the hell are you?"

"Her nonexistent boyfriend. Now, I'll give you two options; you can either run away now, or I can beat the shit out of you and leave you lying unconscious in an alleyway somewhere. What's your choice?" The guy looked at York, his eyes filled with terror.

"I-I-I'll just g-go…" York got off of him, and the guy ran off towards the northern section of the city. He then turned to face Rose.

"Didja miss me?"

"…Thanks, York. That guy was really starting to get on my nerves," she replied, looking extremely relieved.

"Don't mention it. Sorry I didn't drop in sooner, but I wanted to make as dramatic an entry as possible."

"Wait, you were up there the whole time?!"

"Uh… no, I wasn't. I was only there for the last part." Rose looked a bit angry for a moment, but her expression softened almost as quickly.

"Oh, whatever. You still helped me, and that's what matters. Should we head back now?"

"Yeah, Hugh and Zephyr should be there too. At least, if they didn't get lost again."

The two began walking back to the inn as the sun fully set, and the moon began to rise. "So, what kind of armor did you buy?" he asked.

"I actually bought two sets! I got a leather one that's useful for gathering, and a Qurupeco suit for hunting!"

"Wait, two sets? …And how much did this cost?"

"Oh, don't worry, you still have a few thousand gold left!" she said, handing him his wallet.

York peered inside; "Rose, this is only seven hundred."

"I… may have bought a few other things too."

As they neared the inn, York stopped them. "One thing; Hugh and Zephyr don't need to know about the incident at the store, alright?"

"Um… Okay, no problem," she replied.

"And next time I have to play boyfriend for you, I'm expecting to at least get some compensation for it."

"York!"

"I meant with gold!"

* * *

_Haha, teasing... so much fun between lovebirds. Still, good to see they're looking out for each other this early on. Like, he's protecting her from creeps, and she's keeping an eye on his money... or a least, where his money goes. To think, these two will have a protagonist! Alright, enough of this; I'm feeling too gushy all of a sudden, and that isn't professional. Don't forget to review and follow, and I'll see you next time!_


	9. Chapter 9

_You know, something I realized big time while I was writing 'The Hunter's Oath'... I didn't really detail much hunting, did I? Sure, people enjoyed my person to person fight scenes,(especially the hand to hand segments, so I've been told) but there's nothing quite like actually using what the game is about in the story. I've definitely gotta work on monster hunting more; there'll be plenty of that happening in 'The Master Corp'! So hey, don't hesitate to give me some pointers! Alright, enjoy!_

* * *

-An Eye for an Eye

_The next day…_

"So, that's supposed to replace your last suit?" Zephyr asked, looking at Rose in her Qurupeco suit. She looked really mad, and with good reason; her armor was almost as revealing as her last set. It left most of her upper legs bare, and her midriff unprotected. Her shoulders were likewise unarmored.

"I asked for the other set! That stupid lady got me the wrong one!" she shouted angrily.

"Well, at least it isn't as bad as that Wroggi get-up," York said, pulling his hood over his head.

Hugh, meanwhile, was still recovering on the ground from an earlier comment to the huntress. Zephyr sighed before again helping his friend to his feet. "You know, you really need to stop getting yourself floored like this. I'm starting to hate having to pick you up."

"Can't help it… too much fun…" Hugh replied, gritting his teeth.

"Alright, come on already, we gotta go!" The four departed the inn, with Zephyr taking the lead. He led them through the crowded streets, towards the arena, but their progress was slow on account of the large crowd heading towards the arena.

"Zeph, we told you to find a fast way, not the main way!" Rose said, exasperated.

"Well, what do you want me to do about that now? Unless York teaches us that roof-running stuff in half a minute, we're stuck in this crowd."

"Are you four going to the Hunter's Exam as well?" They turned to see a red, spiky haired hunter with a lance hung from his back. He looked intently at them with his green eyes, almost as if studying them.

"Eh… yeah, why?" Rose asked, a bit nervous about his sudden appearance.

"Follow me. I know of a fast way to get there." He quickly strode off down an alley, and the others looked at each other for a moment before following.

"This guy better be tellin' the truth; last thing we need is to not make it and get kicked out!" Hugh said as they trailed behind the hunter.

"Well, at least we're getting closer," Zephyr pointed out; he was right, the arena seemed much bigger than it had a few minutes ago.

"If we are to make it on time," the red haired guy called back, "then we should start running." He immediately started sprinting, with the others running not far behind. Soon, they arrived at the registration gate.

"Whew, damn that was close!" Hugh exclaimed in relief.

"Thanks, guy. Really helped us out," York said.

"Ah, don't mention it. And my name is Joshua, by the way. I hope you all succeed; good luck during the exam." He walked towards the counter, spoke with the attendant, and entered the gates.

"Alright, let's get signed in then," Rose said, approaching the counter as well.

The woman behind the counter looked at them before asking; "I'm guessing Hugh, Rose, York, and Zephyr?"

"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?" Rose said.

"You four are the last ones to show up; everyone else is here already."

"Crap, we aren't too late, are we?"

"No, but you have to split into twos; it's a dual exam this year."

"Alright York, let's do this!" Rose said enthusiastically.

"Guess I'll partner up with Zephyr then," Hugh stated, high fiving the long sword user.

"Okay, you two go down the hall on the left and take the seventh door on the right," the woman said to York and Rose. "You two, go down the right hallway and enter the fourth door on the left. Good luck, you guys."

"Thanks, hopefully we won't need it," York replied, heading over to his and Rose's room.

Hugh called over from the other side of the room; "You two better not fail, or else you're paying for our victory meal after this!"

"Like hell, asshole!" York called back, grinning. "Now I definitely won't lose."

When York and Rose entered the room, they found a Guild official waiting. "Ah, there you two are. You're up first."

"Wait, seriously?" Rose asked, surprised.

"Yes, please follow me." The man exited the room, and the two followed. He led them to a dark room dimly lit by torches. York looked about somewhat apprehensively; it looked all too much like the longhouse from Crez… _No, no, I can't think about that! It's behind me, _York thought, shaking his head clear. Still, the memories began to resurface of those years, the darkness... the blood. He found himself beginning to break out into a cold sweat from it all.

"You alright, York?" Rose asked, concerned. Her voice snapped him out of the state he was in.

"Uh... Yeah, yeah, It's nothing. You doing okay?"

"Nervous as hell, but yeah, let's ace this test!" The large wooden gates began to creak open slowly, allowing light to pour into the dark room. Before the gates opened fully, Rose swiftly kissed York on the cheek!

He was completely surprised; "Oh, uh, what… what was that for?" She smiled at him as the gates fully cranked open.

"Luck."

"Well, uh, thanks, Rose... I think."

The two walked onto the immense arena floor, surrounded by thousands of spectators who were itching to watch the fight. All of them were cheering loudly as York and Rose stepped towards the center of the arena. A loud voice echoed from a small box far up in the stands; "These are our first examinees! Please welcome York and Rose, hailing from Pinleaf Village! And now, let's see what they'll be up against!"

The large doors opposite the two hunters began to creak and groan as they opened. York drew his swords, and Rose notched an arrow on her bow. Glowing blue eyes were visible in the darkened room, which glowered at the pair. York looked intently at the beast before yelling; "Rose, watch out!"

The two dodged in either direction as a large white monster charged at them with incredible speed! It slid to a stop using the large spikes on its wings, tearing up the loose sand as it went. York faced the monster as it stared menacingly at him; it had large, amber tusks and a pure snow white pelt. "And our first monster of the day is a Barioth! This ought to be one hell of a fight! Let's see how York and Rose can deal with the White Knight of the Tundra!"

The beast lunged at York, trying to bite down on him with its large tusks. He dove to the side before slashing its wing; his blade cut into the monster's hide, but the blade bounced off of one of its spikes! Before the beast could retaliate, Rose fired an arrow at it, which lodged itself into the Barioth's side! It roared in irritation before turning to face her.

Again before it could move, York attacked its side, cutting into the white monster's hide numerous times; he struck faster than the eye could follow, dealing just over a half dozen wounds in only two seconds. He was forced to dive off to the side, though, when the Barioth tried to bat him away with its wing.

Rose had fired another few arrows at the beast, some bouncing off of the harder parts of its body while others embedded themselves into its body. "Rose! Go for its wings! We need to slow it down!" York called out. She must've heard him, as she soon flung three arrows into its left wing! The Barioth was focused mainly on York, though; after the wounds he had inflicted on its side, the saber-toothed monster's eyes became red, and it started attacking him much more aggressively.

Suddenly, an arrow Rose shot struck the Barioth's neck, becoming stuck between two of the hard plates. Seeing the projectile, York sidestepped the beast's next lunge before leaping forward! Using the arrow as a handhold, he swung himself up onto the beasts back, landing behind its shoulders! He quickly stabbed one of his blades into its back, planting it firmly in the creature's hide and holding on for dear life as the wyvern tried to fling him off! He managed to strike it a few times with his free sword, drawing some blood where the blade cut, other times gripping tightly as it bounced off hard plates. Before he could do anymore damage, though, the Barioth suddenly leapt backwards onto a wall before diving forwards!

York was thrown from its back as it impacted the ground, hitting the arena floor hard as he crashed into the sand. "York! Are you okay!?" Rose called over to him. He struggled to his feet, coughing up some of the sand he had accidently swallowed when he hit the ground.

"Never better!" He quickly got back into the fight as the Barioth lunged at Rose. She jumped back, firing an arrow at the creature which struck its shoulder. She hit right between its joint; the Barioth was stopped in its tracks as the projectile made moving its arm more difficult. It roared in frustration before slashing at her with its unhindered wing! Rose didn't have enough time to react as the creature's sharp spikes neared her!

But the strike never came.

She found herself pushed to the ground; York had stepped between her and the Barioth! Its wing snapped just in front of him, seeming to just barely miss him. As its wing flattened on the ground, York stabbed his remaining sword through the monster's appendage and into the ground, pinning it! The Barioth made a surprised, pained sound as the metal tore through its flesh. Not missing a beat, York quickly unsheathed the carbalite axe from his belt and buried it into the Barioth's left eye! With a fierce shout, York tore the axe free, opening the wound further and breaking off one of the creature's tusks! The monster howled in pain, swinging its head around wildly as the crimson liquid erupted from its empty eye socket. The Barioth leapt back to try and escape the hunter; the arrow still lodged in its arm kept it from making any real progress though, and the beast slipped up as soon as it landed, struggling to regain its footing. The dual blade user pulled his sword free from the blood-stained earth and approached quickly, leaping into the air and driving the blade into the creature's neck, slicing through the soft skin and through its throat, mortally wounding it. All the Barioth could do was let out a few more pained noises before finally collapsing to the ground, limp and lifeless.

The crowd burst into applause at the pair's success, cheering at the battle they had just witnessed. Again, the announcer's voice sounded from his small booth, congratulating them on a good hunt. Rose looked around at the crowd cheering for her and York in amazement, but she quickly shifted her attention to York, who had fallen to his knees and was clutching the right side of his face.

"York! Are you alright? What happened?!" she asked, worried. York pulled his blood soaked hand away from his face, revealing a thin cut over his right eye. Blood flowed out of the wound down his face, and he kept his eye shut tight to keep it from getting in his eye.

"Agh… Damn thing almost took my eye out," he said, looking at the bright crimson stain on his glove.

"You need medical help now! Come on, we need to get you to the infirmary!" she said, helping him to his feet. The two walked towards the exit door on the side, where a doctor rushed out of to see to his wound. York recognized the man almost immediately.

"Doc? What're you doing in Loc Lac?" he asked.

"Well, pard'n me for doin' mah job! Good t' '_see_' ya too, York."

"…I swear, if I go blind in this eye, I will hit you for that pun." Doc laughed as he helped York over to the infirmary with Rose.

"Yep, I reckon ya prolly will. C'mon, let's take a look at that eye of yers."

"Will he be okay?" Rose asked, not making any attempt to hide the concern on her face.

"Now don't you worry, li'l missy. I'll get yer boyfriend here patched up in a jiffy!" Doc replied, grinning as she blushed.

After closing the wound, Doc put bandages around Yorks right eye in a headband-like fashion, concealing it under a thin layer of the cloth. "Alright York, jus' leave that on yer eye for 'bout a week, and ya should be good as new. I used s'me high grade medicine on th' cut so it'll close faster."

"Alright, thanks Doc. Still, what are you doing out here in Loc Lac?"

"Like I said; I'm doin' mah job. Got transferred out here t' help out 'round the city. Word is that there's a fishin' village t' the south that might have need of a doctor, so I'm seein' if they'll c'nsider sendin' me."

"Well, good luck with that," York said, feeling at the bandages around his head.

"Oh, an' York, that'll prolly scar up; if that happens, try t' keep it away from sudd'n bursts a heat. It could reopen, even if ya let it heal fer a year or two. The medicine is still a bit of 'n experiment, if ya don' mind me sayin'."

"So basically keep my face away from explosions. Yeah, good advice, Doc. I never would have thought of that on my own," York replied sarcastically.

"Hey, when it comes t' huntin', ya can't be too caref'l," the doctor replied. "Anyways, I'd better get ready t' help the next fella who has t' come in here. Good t' see ya again, York. Take care a yaself now." With that, York and Rose left the infirmary and headed back to the room they had been assigned.

"Ya know, it probably would help if we knew where the stairs to the stands were," York said, sitting in one of the cushioned chairs. "Since we went first, we should be able to see the other fights."

"Well, I don't mind resting for a little while. I can't believe they sent a Barioth out!" Rose replied, sitting opposite him.

"Yeah, I hear you. Too bad we couldn't carve anything off of it; we could have had what we needed for a set of armor right there."

"Well, we can get those things later. How's your eye feel?"

York frowned as he felt at the bandages on the side of his head. "Well, it hurts like hell and I can't use it for a week, but at least it's still there," he said.

"I'm just glad you're all right. Thanks for helping me out there," Rose replied.

"Don't mention it. It woulda been a crappy start to our hunting career if you had to spend the first month in a hospital bed." Rose smiled; York was still just as sarcastic as ever.

"Should we try and find the way up to the stands?"

"I guess. But tell me if I'm about to walk into something; I can't see anything on the right."

They departed from the room and wandered down the hall, looking for the way up to the stands. The roar of the crowd could be heard coming from down a small corridor, which they followed. A bright light could be seen at the top of a tall staircase on the other side of the corridor. "That must be it. C'mon, let's check it out," York said, and the two began to jog through the hall towards the stands.

The two were greeted by the sight of Hugh and Zephyr just finishing off a Rathian, much to the excitement of the crowd gathered in the stadium. "Who would've guessed we'd see such masterful displays of hunting this early into the exam!? I can't wait to see what we'll witness next!" the man in the announcer's box shouted.

It took the pair a while to make their way up to the stands, but Hugh and Zephyr quickly rejoined York and Rose as the fourth match began. "Hah! Kicked its ass to kingdom come! You still breathin, Zeph?"

"Didn't know it was possible to do a backflip in the air like that, but yeah, I'd say that was a good start to our career!"

"Nice job, you two," Rose congratulated enthusiastically.

"You two weren't so bad yourselves!" Hugh laughed. "Saw York go down for a second there and I thought 'wow, the untouchable just got hit!' I think you owe me money for that, York!"

"Shut it, Hugh; doesn't look like I got hit as bad as you did."

"…Alright, so there was a bit of an incident with a fireball, what can you expect?"

"Well, I think it's safe to say we all passed," Zephyr commented. "So why not enjoy the rest of these fights? I think that Joshua guy is down there."

"Yeah, why not? We'll have our real fights soon enough!"

* * *

_Oh, the many joys of a good hunt... Sure, I feel I could've made the fight last far longer, but I dunno, that just isn't really my thing. I mean, if I were a hunter, I'd want the giant ass saber cat dead as soon as possible too, so why not his it as hard as I can as fast as I can? Still, maybe I can lengthen hunts in the future; I got an entire story after this one, after all! Alright, remember to review and follow, and I'll see you next time!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Bit of a funny story with this chapter; originally, Remembrance had only been nine parts long. I hadn't gotten around to finishing it since I was in the middle of The Hunter's Oath while writing it. Still, I didn't think it was very fulfilling to just post those and be done, so I wrote this one as a continuation. There's still a bit more I'd like to write about before this reaches its conclusion, so I'm gonna be working on this along with the Master Corp. Of course, most of my effort's going into MC, so these chapters might be a bit shorter as a result. But hey, maybe there can be some tie ins between the prequel and the sequel! You never know! Alright, enjoy!_

* * *

Between the lines-

_A few weeks later…_

"You two sure you don't want to come along? It's an easy quest. There'll be plenty of chances to get some rare stuff," Hugh said, sitting at a bench in the tavern with the others.

"Nah, I'm getting kinda sick of running around the desert all the time, Hugh," York replied. "Plus, the Flooded Forest should have a ton of other rare things for us to find; I hear there are some rare species of bugs there that artisans use on armor."

"Well, whatever, have fun catching bugs." The great sword user pushed himself to his feet, followed by Zephyr. "Zeph and I will tell you how well this Barroth hunt went when we get back!"

"Yeah, just don't get yourself creamed," Rose said with a short laugh. "We won't be there to bail you out this time!"

"Hey, I would've been fine even if you had missed! I've taken worse than a fireball from a Qurupeco!"

"Tell that to your armor. The smith said it'd be days before he'd come close to repairing the metal," York commented. "You sure you want to take on a Barroth with just a suit of leather armor?"

"If he gets flattened, I'll be able to get him out of there, no worries," Zephyr said. "At least I know when to dodge properly."

"Ah, don't you get started too! Come on, let's get going before these two actually convince you to go on a bug hunt with 'em," Hugh said, walking away and grumbling to himself. "Frickin' bugs! When'll those ever be important?" Zephyr followed soon after, shaking his head with an amused expression.

"He'll never learn," York sighed, getting to his feet. "Whaddya say we head out? Sooner we leave, sooner we get there."

"Sure, right behind you!" Rose replied, joining him. The pair walked up the steps beside the quest counter and made their way to the ship bound for the Flooded Forest, waving at Hugh and Zephyr as their friends boarded a sandship heading for the Sandy Plains. "Think they'll be okay?"

"If we come back worse than they do, I'd be pretty amazed."

* * *

It didn't take long for the two to find themselves standing at the base camp in the forest, standing beneath a large rocky overhang to keep dry. "Geez, when they said it was a flooded, I didn't think they were being so… literal," York commented, gazing at the veritable river beside the camp.

"At least it's cooler than the desert, right?" Rose pointed out. "I know how much you hate the heat, after all, so a bit of rain couldn't hurt."

"I guess you're right. So, you remember what the quest objective is, right?"

"Of course I do! I read the description and everything!"

"You want to go over it once more, just to be sure?"

"York, since when did you get so careful about everything?"

"Since the last assignment where you came back with about fifteen broken shells. We were looking for coral stones, remember?"

"…Well, sure, but I know what we're after this time, trust me." The archer seemed confident in her knowledge, so York decided to let it go. The pair left the camp, heading into a shallow river that branched off into a few other areas. There was almost nothing to shield them from the constant downpour, leaving the two soaking wet in a matter of seconds.

"I think it'd be smart if we split up to do this," York said. "The request was for twenty, and it'd be a waste of time to just follow each other around. How about you search the area off to the right, and I'll search around the one to the left."

"Oh, alright, I guess that's fine. Still, what if a Rathian shows up or something? This leather suit makes gathering easier, but in combat…"

"Why would one? The report said the environment was stable, so there shouldn't be any surprises. Still, if you need anything, just signal me; you have flares, right?"

"…Uhm…"

York sighed in amusement before handing her a few of the devices used to signal other hunters. "Just point it up and push the button. I'll see the light and come running, alright?"

"Okay, good luck, York!" The dual sword user watched her as she walked through the foliage into the next area before going on his way as well. It was a strange feeling; for once, he realized he was alone. For the past few years York had spent most of his time in the company of others, so it was a sort of welcome relief to be alone to his thoughts. York finished a short climb up the hill to find himself in a wide clearing with two small streams running off the side of a cliff into the river below. He peered over the edge, noting the distance between the murky water below and himself.

_That would kill a normal person… Still… Height always seems to be an issue for things like this. Wonder if there's an easier way to slow a person's descent… Better stay clear for now. _He walked away from the edge towards a small patch of trees; there were numerous insects fluttering about or crawling on the ground, making it a perfect spot to gather from. He quickly grabbed a bug catching net from his pouch before opening it up and beginning to work. Before long, York had several rare insects held in small jars he placed in his pouch, and he was heading down a small cave that was rich with ore. Some veins underneath a small pond were colored an unusual red.

"That must be pelagicite ore. I should get some before making my way back… Not sure when I'll get another chance." The hunter mined a few nodes outside of the water before diving into the light blue liquid and continuing to gather the rare ore. It was more difficult to use the pickaxe beneath the water than above, but York was pleased to see the sizable chunks of fossilized bone break away with each swing. After getting as much as he could, York swam back to the surface and to pulled himself onto shore, shaking his clothes to wring the water out.

"Didn't realize it'd be that cold…" he mumbled, stepping out of the cave into another clearing. "Better find Rose and see how she's doing… I could definitely use a towel soon." York continued back down the hill he had climbed previously, heading into another clearing. This one was half land, half water; the dual blade wielder could see where the shallow stream flowed into a deep river leading farther into the flooded section of the forest. York spied the entrance to the area Rose had walked into previously, and began making his way over to the path inside.

Before he got far though, several creatures suddenly burst from the waves and landed before him! York instinctively drew his two swords and readied himself; three alligator like beasts turned to face him, growling and hissing at him threateningly. "Ludroths, huh… Nothing big."

One of the leviathans leapt towards the hunter, intending to tackle him to the ground; reacting quickly, York crouched low and stabbed the Ludroth as it passed over him, thrusting his iron sword through its heart and killing it instantly! York spun and slammed its carcass into the ground behind him, turning to face its brethren as they ran towards him. The second ludroth attempted to bite at his leg; York stopped its jaw with his shorter sword, grimacing a bit as it clamped down on the weapon and tried to wrench it from his grasp. With a small effort, he pulled his other sword free from the ground and the body of the ludroth, beating the second over the head with the hilt and freeing his second sword. With a quick pair of slashes, the ludroth's throat was cut, and it bled out before him, the crimson liquid flowing into the stream and being pushed along with the current.

_Wait… there was a third one! _The hunter just barely ducked as a glob of watery goo flung past him, splashing in the water a few feet from him. York turned quickly, but didn't have time to react as the ludroth flung itself at him and knocked him to the ground! His swords left his grasp when he struck the floor, flinching as the back of his head struck a particularly hard root. He quickly shook himself out of the daze, though; the ludroth was still atop him, and was about to bite at his throat!

York reacted fast, punching the side of the beast's head before it reached him. It growled in irritation before trying to attack him again! This time, York caught the ludroth's jaw with both hands, struggling to keep them away from his exposed throat. With a powerful heave, York threw the creature off of him, rolled back and drew his axe. As the creature recovered, York rushed at it, swinging the blade below its head and striking its jugular. The bottom of the tomahawk had caught on its jawbone; with a shout and a deal of effort, York threw the leviathan over his back and into a rock wall before him, killing it from the spine shattering impact!

"Don't screw with me." The hunter went and retrieved his blades from where they had fallen earlier; it wasn't a challenge, considering the handles were made from bright Jaggi hides, but one of the blades had landed in the stream, requiring York to reach his hand into the cool water to retrieve it. He was a bit sore from the tackle, so he popped the cork off a potion and drank the contents of the bottle, letting the concoction alleviate the pain from his injuries. He then went to the bodies of the ludroths he had slain, carving a few quality materials off of the carcasses. He made note of the small sponge he pulled off of the third ludroth.

"Huh… this seems pretty absorbent… Could soften the impact from a blow if it were a bit more aged…"

A short cry from the next area immediately drew his attention away from the material though! "That was Rose…!" York immediately sprinted towards the area, ignoring everything else between him and the path into the area his partner was in. He only increased his speed when he saw the bright yellow flare shoot into the air, and heard a loud roar from over the trees! The hunter burst through the foliage into the area, taking only a second to take in the sight before him.

Rose was lying on the ground staring fearfully at a large black monster as it slowly walked over to the unarmed huntress; her bow was lying in pieces on the ground between her and it. Knowing if he didn't do something, she wouldn't survive, York immediately leapt into action! With a feat of strength even he didn't know he was capable of, York full body checked the creature before him, actually shoving it out of the way! It yelped in surprise before turning to face him; York made sure to point out that mistake by slicing out its left eye. The beast stumbled back in surprise, blood flowing from its once glowing eye socket.

"Rose! Are you okay!?" York said, placing himself between her and the black monster. "Try and get somewhere safe; I'll drive it off!" Without waiting to hear a reply, he immediately charged at the monster again, shouting as ferociously as he could. _If I can injure it enough, maybe I can get it to flee from its wounds… _York rolled beneath the creature's wing as it slashed at him with razor sharp claws, coming to a stop and slashing its side as he rose to his feet. Before he could strike again, though, York had to fling himself over the monster's tail as it flew towards him, narrowly evading the spikes that tipped the appendage. Again, the hunter retaliated, trying to cut the tendons in the creature's leg; he flinched in surprise as his blade bounced harmlessly off its thick bone!

_Didn't have time to sharpen them… _York rolled away again as the beast's jaws clamped shut in the space he had occupied only a second before, grabbing a smoke bomb from his pouch and throwing it to the ground in the process. A white fog formed around the area, blocking the creature's sight and allowing the hunter a few seconds of respite. He quickly fished a whetstone out of his pouch and sharpened the two blades as fast as he could. Before he could get them as sharp as possible though, the fog cleared and exposed the panther-like monster again.

_Goddamn rain… that should've worked for longer… _With no other choice, York again charged at the monster as it roared, flinching a bit from the sound. It quickly leapt into the air, flipping over and bringing its tail down on him! The dual blade user instinctively dodged to the side, recovering quickly and closing the distance between himself and the beast. With a strong push of his legs, he propelled himself forwards, driving both blades into the creature's side; they didn't cut deep, but York swung them both in either direction to cut a longer wound. Still, this did little more to irritate it; after pulling its tail free from the ground, the panther-beast bat him back with a quick strike from its wing. It didn't harm York much, but it was enough to force the hunter to stumble back to keep his balance.

_Damn, this thing is fast… If Rose isn't hidden already, it might go after her while I'm recovering! Where is she? _York spared a moment to look over where the archer had been lying before; Rose had only managed to drag herself a few feet away from the spot she had been! Now York could tell why she didn't run; her ankle was twisted at a bad angle, preventing her from more than a slow crawl.

York quickly returned his attention back to the monster he had been fighting; it had been able to put a good distance between them in the split second York had spent checking on Rose. It seemed to have been whipping its tail above itself; he barely had any time to understand why before noticing several spikes in the air, just inches from his head! As fast as he possibly could, York dodged the projectiles, relieved as he saw a large group fly past where he had stood not a second before.

This relief was suddenly shattered as a burning pain tore through his right shoulder! The hunter found himself thrown back into a wall behind him, grunting as the impact dazed him. He spared a glance at his injured shoulder; a large black spike had pierced through the metal plating, going through his shoulder and exiting out the back, with the end of the spike piercing the stone behind him; he had been pinned to the wall! York barely had time to look up as the monster charged him again! He tried to raise his free arm in defense, but knew there was no way he could block the charge.

"Dammit…!"

York felt a horrendous pain as his torso was torn own by the creature's claws! It was greater than anything he had ever received before; from the upper left of his chest all the way to his right hip, his armor and flesh were rend apart, spilling his blood on the forest floor. York could only cough in agony, spitting up even more blood from the grievous wound on his chest. The hunter struggled to stay conscious, forcing himself to look up at the creature. It had turned it's red-eyed glare from him to Rose, who sat cowering behind a tree and staring at the scene before her, horrified.

_Can't… let it… get to her…_

York's mind was a dull haze as he forced his arm up, grabbing at the spike embedded in his shoulder. He felt nothing as he tore the spike free from his arm, not caring about opening another wound. Only one thing mattered to him at the moment, through all the pain, through his blurring vision.

The beast couldn't get to Rose.

With all the effort he could muster, York drove the spike into the base of the monster's skull, piercing its brainstem and mortally wounding it! The creature couldn't even respond as it suddenly spasmed from the wound, slouching down to the slowly as its life began to flee its unmoving body. York hardly noticed, though; he had fallen back, blacking out before he even hit the ground.

* * *

York came to as he felt something poking at a strange spot on his neck. He felt extremely light headed, and his entire body was wracked with pain. Still, the touch on his neck seemed to be the most important thing at the moment.

"York, say something! Anything! Please… You can't be… No…"

He slowly blinked his eyes open, seeing Rose kneeling beside him and crying. He weakly forced his hand up and grabbed her wrist, pulling her from her state and into complete shock.

"I ain't dead yet, Rose…" he said weakly, forcing himself to smile.

"York! Oh, thank god you're alright! I thought you… I need to treat your wounds, hold on!"

The dual blade user chuckled a bit, remembering her awkwardly poking at his neck. "You… weren't trying to check my pulse… were you?"

"Of course I was! You were bleeding like crazy! I didn't feel anything, and I thought-"

"You just checked the wrong spot, lady… It's lower down the neck…" he said, weakly motioning at the correct spot. Despite all her worry, Rose still laughed at the comment, which brought another smile to his face. _Good to see someone's still optimistic…_

Rose quickly dressed York's wounds with the bandages she had then, stopping the flow of blood as best she could and helping him to his feet. She had to support him the whole way; if Rose hadn't been holding him up, the dual blade user probably would've fallen face first into the shallow water they were walking through.

"You don't have to hold me… You're ankle's still hurt, isn't it…?"

"No, I put a splint on it after I patched you up. I'm fine; you really shouldn't be worrying about me right now, York…"

She helped him through the next area and into the base camp, lying him on the bed inside the tent and grabbing several medical supplies out of an item box. "Hold still… This might hurt… a lot."

York grimaced in pain as he felt the wound on his chest burn for a few moments, but felt relief as it cooled down and became a soothing relief. Rose worked quickly, wrapping his entire torso expertly as she healed the wound. After a few minutes, she was done.

"How did you…?" York asked, amazed. "Where did you learn to treat wounds like that?"

"My mother was a nurse; I learned a lot from her, actually. I used herbs to disinfect the wound; I put the bandages over them so it would close faster too… I'm just so glad you're okay, York…"

"Heh, well, I don't plan on letting some random monster kill me this soon into my career…" he replied, beginning to push himself up. A short burst of pain and a light push from Rose immediately forced him onto his back again.

"Don't move! Until the wound closes, you're just going to hurt yourself more if you try anything!" she said, worriedly.

York let out a short, irritated sigh, but did as she said; there was no use in causing further harm to himself. "Well, I guess I'm stuck here then… Do you have everything we need to finish the quest?"

"The quest!? How can you be thinking about the quest at a time like this!?"

"...So I'll have money to pay the hospital bills…?"

"…I guess you have a point… But, uh… York? What… what was the objective again…? I kinda forgot…"

York chuckled again, very much amused by her statement. "I told you to read the sheet again… It's twenty Royal Rhinos… I have about a dozen already, just go out and catch a few more and we'll be done."

"Alright, I know what those are! I'll be back as soon as I can! Don't move, okay?"

"Wasn't planning on it."

York watched her dash out of the tent and disappear from sight, grabbing a few nets as she went. The hunter again tried to move himself a bit, but another sharp pain stopped him from making any more repeat attempts. _Dammit… I'm not used to being this injured… _

A few minutes passed slowly, and all York could do to occupy himself was gaze about the tent restlessly, wanting to get up but knowing he couldn't. One thing that caught his attention was the black spike resting on the table beside him. His shoulder wound twinged a bit at the sight of the object, but York couldn't look away as he gazed at the spike.

_That thing's really sharp… It's too short for a sword though… Maybe I could use it for a dagger or something… _

A few splashes outside the tent drew his attention away from the spike then. "Rose? That you?"

The only response to his question was a small head poking into the tent; York froze as he realized that somehow, a small carnivore had made its way into the camp, and now it was eyeing him hungrily. York tried to force himself to grab at the spike beside him, gasping as several waves of pains shot throughout his body. He eventually clutched the spike in his left hand, flinching as the sharp edge cut his fingers. The creature began to walk into the tent slowly, still eyeing him warily. _If it attacks me, I don't know if I'll be able to kill it in one strike… _

"No!"

York blinked once in surprise as he saw the carnivore suddenly pulled outside of the tent by its tail! He heard several sounds of what seemed to be a scuffle; a few short, pained yelps were mixed with angry screams and curses, until eventually there was a prominent snapping of a bone, and everything outside went quiet. The flap to the tent again burst open, and this time Rose walked in, extremely concerned but relieved to see him ok.

"Thank god… I just saw its tail, so I thought…"

"Uh… Rose? Did you just…"

The huntress gave him a confused look before pulling out a few jars holding a couple bugs within them. "I got all the Royal Rhinos, yeah."

"No, I mean… you didn't have a weapon on you…"

Her face reddened a bit, but she smiled warmly at him. "That wroggi won't bother anyone anymore, trust me."

"…You beat it to death?"

"And then some."

* * *

_I was telling a few stories to some friends a few days ago, and realized while writing this that sometimes, when you recall past events, you leave out some bits to make it shorter or you just remember things differently. If you went back to my early chapters in The Hunter's Oath to check dialogue and events, I did keep it fairly accurate; this is what actually happened, and that was how they recalled the events. Kinda funny when you think about it, eh? Alright, until next time, don't forget to review and follow!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Well, I've only got a few chapters remaining in this before the prequel reaches its conclusion now! Gotta say, it's been a fun write, and I hope it's been as fun of a read. The Master Corp is still well on its way too; I've gotten a helping hand in writing as well, shall we say. Rest assured, it'll be better than ever! Now then, on with the story!_

* * *

Upgrade-

_About a month later…_

"Bout time you got outta that bed, York!" Hugh laughed, seeing York step out of the Guild hospital with Rose. "I thought you lived there now!"

"Don't I wish; at least it was comfy. And if I remember, you were in there for a few weeks too, dumbass!" the dual blade user replied. The doctors had insisted he stay for at least three months to heal; it only took him one to fully recover.

"Hey, I couldn't help it if my sword broke on me; never using bone weapons again," the great sword user grumbled, rubbing his still sore arm.

"Did they I.D. the thing that attacked you?" Zephyr asked.

"I think they called it a Nargacuga," Rose answered, sitting beside them on a bench. "Apparently there had been a mix up at the quest counter, and they sent us off on a high-rank quest by mistake…"

"…But they ranked us up early for doing so well under the circumstances," York continued, smirking as Hugh and Zephyr stared at them disbelievingly.

"You lucky son of a bitch," Hugh remarked, shaking his head. "We've still got an urgent quest to handle before we can catch up; off to some island to fight a Lagiacrus. I'd ask you to come along, but… well, you don't exactly have any armor, do you?"

"I asked Rose to get a smith to work on it while I was recovering, but he said it'd take a lot of work to finish it up."

"Same guy who fixed up your Jaggi mail, Hugh," Rose said, not making any effort to hide her contempt for having to see another artisan.

"Ah, that old set? Bah, I don't need that; this Barroth suit is way tougher! Tell you what, York; I'll rent my old armor to ya!" the great sword user joked. "You owe me twenty gold for every hunt you go on with it!"

"Done. That's way cheaper than the prices at that shop down the street," York replied, smirking a bit.

"Wait, really? Crap, I didn't think about that… Make it a hundred!"

"Too late, deal's made."

The four returned to the inn, where Hugh reluctantly turned over his old suit to York. It was a bit big on him, but it still fit snuggly in all the important spots, so it was an adequate replacement.

"So, you said you were going to hunt a Lagiacrus, right? We can come along if you want," York said, shifting a piece of metal over to make it more comfortable.

"Eh… yeah, about that… We kinda already planned the whole quest a while ago…" Hugh reluctantly replied. "There're a few other guys who said they'd give us a hand. Sorry, guess you'll have to wait for us to rank up before we can go on your rank three quests!"

"To be fair, we thought you'd be out of commission for way longer," Zephyr said in reply to York and Rose staring accusingly at him. "Doc said it'd be three months, not three weeks."

"Ah, whatever. Maybe we'll find someone at the tavern who can join us," Rose said as the two departed.

"Guess so. Let's take a look, shall we?" the dual blade user replied. The two departed the inn soon after, heading towards the nearby tavern; the place was filled to the brim with hunters. There wouldn't be any trouble finding more allies to partner up with. "Let's grab a bite to eat before anything, eh? I'm kinda sick of hospital food."

The pair seated themselves at the one empty table in the building, ordering a quick meal and discussing what to hunt next. "I'm really not a fan of fighting underwater, so I'm just gonna say any leviathans are out of the picture already."

"Yeah, it's hard to use a bow under water… And I'm still getting used to this sword, so I think something on land would be smarter," Rose replied. The huntress had decided it would be a good idea to branch out and use melee weapons instead of focusing primarily on ranged ones, and as such picked up the sword and shield. This was also partially due to her bow still being at the smith's for repairs.

"What about a Rathalos? We could use some materials to power up that sword of yours."

"…We've already got all the materials we need, though. Remember that Harvest Tour we took on the Deserted Island last month?"

"True… I'm still wondering why that Rath was mauled to pieces, but it had plenty of good materials on it. Maybe that smith is done making those swords for me, now that I think about it. Want to go check it out? Maybe we could trade in your sword and the materials for a quick upgrade."

"York…"

"Oh, right, I forgot, you hate artisans… Fine, I'll take your equipment with me and see if I can't trade it in. Wait here for a bit, alright? I'll be about a half hour."

"Alright, I'll take a look at our options while you do that. Hurry back; don't wanna keep me waiting!"

"…That's probably true." York made his way out of the tavern and towards the armory down the street; after they had gotten more settled in, the hunters found that the street their inn was on had an equipment shop, tavern, café, and a few other stores that were useful for hunters. It was certainly more convenient than going as far out as they had before the hunter's exam. As he neared the shop, a familiar face greeted him.

"Ah, York! How is your day going?" Joshua asked, removing his strange skull mask. "I heard about the incident in the Flooded Forest. I didn't know you were to be discharged this soon."

"Hey Josh, I'm fine, yeah. Let's keep the whole thing a bit quiet though, eh? Not exactly the fondest of memories. What're you here for?"

"I'm picking up a new lance. I competed in the arena a few times and received these tickets; I can redeem them for an old gunlance prototype. Yourself?"

"About the same, gonna get a few upgrades," York replied. "Say, you wouldn't happen to be doing anything, would you? Rose and I were looking for some people to partner up with."

"Actually, I was hoping to do the same, my friend! I was about to ask that of you, as it were. My partner's waiting at the tavern for my return; I'm certain he'd be willing to help as well. Ah, and there's my weapon!" The lance user paused for a moment as the smith carried a large shield and a large gun-like weapon out of the shop. Mounted on the barrel was a sharp bayonet; it looked like a very advanced weapon, despite being a proto type.

"Now don't go loadin' shells inta that thing, ya hear? It ain't a real gunlance, an' I ain't doin' repairs if it explodes like the last guys!" The smith was a short, grumpy old wyvernian with wrinkeled, yellowish skin; he was regarded as a fine smith, if a bit tempermental.

"Of course, I'd never consider that. Thank you again. York, I will meet you back at the tavern. I bid you both good-day!" The lance user departed for the tavern as York turned his attention to the smith.

"Hey, Lemon, I'm checking up on my swords."

"Dammit kid, I told ya my name was Lumin! Do I look like a lemon to ya?!"

"Kind of. The swords are Rath dual blades; and if you have any premade Rath sword and shields, could I trade this sword and the upgrade materials in for some?"

"Yeah, yeah, just gimme a minute… Kids these days… no respect…" The grumbling smith again disappeared into the shop, exiting not long after with a pair of swords made from Rathian and Rathalos parts, and a glowing red sword accompanied by a crimson scaled shield. "You got payment? It'll cost ya about three-thousand fer the sword and shield."

York sighed before fishing his wallet out and paying the wyvernian, noting that his funds were yet again depleted. The hunter took the weapons from the artisan before saying his farewells and returning to the tavern. It didn't take him long to locate Rose and give her the equipment and the good news.

"That Joshua guy said he could help? That's great!" she replied, happily accepting the sword and shield.

"Yeah, so we should look around for them. And Rose, you owe me three-thousand for those."

"What!? You're asking _me _to pay for them?!"

"They're yours! I just did the exchange!"

"But York…! Please?"

"Rose, don't make that face, you know I can't keep paying for everything!"

"Pretty please?"

"…No…"

"Pretty pretty pretty please?"

"…Fine, fine, but I swear, one day you're going to have to pay me back for all these things."

"Yay! Thanks, York!" Rose happily embraced him while York sighed, very much irritated at the prospect of falling for her cute face again. Still, seeing her happy was a bit of a boon, so he let it go.

"Are we interrupting a moment?" Rose quickly let him go as Joshua and his hunting partner walked up to them; the dual blade user noted she was blushing much more than normal, but didn't think much of it.

"No, she was just thanking me for paying for her equipment. Again."

"Ah, I see. I suppose that's understandable. Have you two determined what our quarry will be on this hunt?"

"Yup! We're going after a Barioth!" Rose enthusiastically stated, showing them the quest report.

"A Barioth, huh? You really want that armor that badly?" York replied, reading over the report. He paused as he again read over the description. "Wait, this is a Gold Crown Barioth; this thing is way larger than the one we fought before. You think you're up for it?"

"Of course I am! And who knows, maybe you can use some of the extra parts to make your own suit! It's not like you're itching to pay Hugh at the end of the month, right?"

"Point taken. You two up for this?"

"I am. How about yourself, Jeremy?"

"Yeah, I haven't gone after one yet, so I'd like to see how I'd match up against one of 'em."

"Alright, then let's get going!" Rose immediately went over to the quest counter to sign the rest of them up while Joshua went to wait by the departure gate. York, meanwhile, had been staring intently at the fourth hunter since hearing his name.

"How you doin' York? It's been a while. What, like ten years?"

"…So it is you…"

Jeremy removed his Rathian helmet, revealing his face; he had short black hair and crimson eyes, with a scar running across his nose. "Gotta say, I really wasn't expecting to see you here. You been holding up alright?"

"Yeah… Jeremy, listen. Don't say a word to anyone about how you met me, got it?"

"Huh? Why not?"

"They don't need to know. Just act like you never knew me before today."

"Why? You saved my life, York. Not like I can just forget that."

"Well, you can repay me by doing this. I mean it, not a word."

"…If you say so, stranger."

"York, Jeremy! You two just gonna stand around all day talking, or are we gonna get going?" Rose called from the departure gate.

"Yeah, be right there!" Jeremy called back. "York, I'm not sure what the whole situation was, but just know I'm still grateful for it. You don't want me to say anything, I won't. But hey, the past is done; let's get going, eh?" Jeremy turned and walked up the steps towards the departure gate, followed by a somewhat troubled York.

"Something the matter?" Rose asked quietly as they boarded the ship bound for the Tundra.

"Hmm? No, nothing. Just thinking," he replied, trying to cover up the sudden memories that had surfaced again.

"You sure? You just look… Off. You feeling alright? You aren't still hurting, are you?"

"Rose, I'm fine, really."

"But York, if you aren't up to this-"

"So, once we're done with this quest, you mind giving me your measurements?"

"Wh-!? York!? What the hell-! What?!"

"So I can start working on your armor."

"Wh- Oh… Oh, right! Jeez, you could've said that sooner!"

York smirked at her flustered reaction, glad he had managed to change the topic so easily. "Well, I'll see what I can do; I nabbed Lumin's smithing book on this set, so at least I'll have something to go off of."

"Really? How did you get that from him? I thought artisans tried to keep their methods hidden."

"…Yeah, I'm not really big on asking. Let's just say he lost it and leave it at that."

"…Is it not possible for us to go somewhere where weather isn't this big of a factor…?" York remarked, shivering a bit. The others were as well; the Tundra was utterly freezing. Fortunately, the base camp's tent was warm, and there was a fairly large fire burning not far from there that kept the surrounding area fairly temperate. Outside of that, though, all the hunters had to keep warm were a few hot drinks and spicy peppers.

"Just standing here won't help; let us try and find our quarry. It would certainly do us more good than just standing around while our blood figuratively freezes." Joshua led off, striding across the icy field they stood in after chugging down a hot drink. The others did the same and followed after the lance user; surprisingly, the drinks kept their bodies rather warm despite the frigid temperatures. York felt pretty bad for Rose, though; her armor left most of her midriff and legs exposed, and he could tell she was still cold despite the drink's effects.

"Rose, you want to hold the torch? It'll keep you warmer," he offered, pulling the item out of his pouch. At first she seemed like she was going to refuse, but decided against it.

"Y-y-yeah, t-thanks." The dual blade user lit the torch before handing it to the huntress, who immediately sighed in relief as the fire warmed her body. "That's better… Thanks a lot, York."

"Don't mention it; now I won't have to carry the thing." Rose rolled her eyes at the remark, but he could tell she understood his concern; she seemed more amused than irritated.

"So, if my research is correct, Barioth usually prefer to wait in elevated areas for prey to arrive, before diving down from above and attacking," Joshua said, looking about. The area they were in was surround by high, snow covered walls; a perfect ambush spot for the creature to use on the hunters.

"Keep an eye on the sky, guys," Jeremy warned, keeping a hand on the hilt of his long sword. The group proceeded cautiously across the field, warily scanning the peaks of the cliffs around them; eventually, they crossed the icy clearing without any trouble, stopping outside a large cave entrance.

"That was pretty tense," York remarked, easing up a bit. "Still, it might be in the caves. Their eyes glow blue in the dark; watch for that." They proceeded into the cave, with only the torch Rose held providing any light for them to see. The cavern was warmer than it was outside, but that wasn't saying much; the hunters had to use more hot drinks to keep from freezing.

"Still nothing… I do wonder where this beast is hidden," Joshua stated, glancing about restlessly. "Hmm… there may be a need for us to split up at this rate. We'll just end up freezing to death walking around together."

"Like it or not, that seems to be true," Jeremy added with a sigh. "Do either of you have signal flares?"

"Got some right here," York replied, chuckling a bit as Rose searched through her pouch for the signals she no doubt forgot again. "If you see it, shoot it off, alright?"

"Uh… guys?" The three stopped and turned to face Rose, who was looking at a wall about twenty feet behind them. "We… might want to split up. Like right now." The others glanced up the wall and saw what she had seen; a pair of icy blue dots were glowering at them from a small hollowed out section in the wall.

"Get down!" York and Rose dove off to the side while Jeremy and Joshua dodged in the other direction; the creature had swooped down from its perch, slamming into the spot they had just been and sliding to a stop using the spikes on its wings. As the hunters recovered, the wyvern roared angrily, the sound echoing throughout the cave loudly and forcing them to cover their ears! Jeremy was seemingly unaffected, though, and attacked the Barioth in the same motion he drew his long sword with, cutting shallowly into its side with his bone katana. A short electrical burst followed the blow; it seemed the long sword wielder's blade was coated in a paralytic toxin.

The others recovered quickly and drew their weapons; York immediately charged at the creature while Rose circled around behind it, and Joshua slowly made his way towards its side. The Barioth attempted to bite at the dual sword user with its amber tusks, and York quickly slid beneath its head and dealt a swift cut to its neck! A short burst of flame followed, which seemed to cause the Barioth far more injury than the cut alone did. _Guess it was a good idea to upgrade after all…_

Meanwhile, Joshua had been stabbing at the monster's side with his bayonet-lance, also inflicting several fire element injuries on the saber cat-like beast. Rose had begun to swing at its tail, while Jeremy had been trying to break off the spikes covering its wing; the beast roared in frustration as the hunters hit it from all sides, unsure of who to focus on. It didn't stand still for long, though; suddenly, the snowy white monster jumped back, spitting a large icicle looking projectile towards the center of the group!

Before it impacted, Joshua side stepped into the way of the object and brought his shield up in a strong defensive stance, blocking the icicle before it struck the ground and breaking it into a powdery snow. "That projectile reacts with the ground to cause a blizzard if it breaks!" the lance user explained. "Try to keep away from the area if I can't block it; I believe the radius is about ten feet, but it might increase proportionally with the creature's size!"

"How do you know all this?" Rose asked, bewildered; York and Jeremy had already begun to run at the creature again.

"Studying my quarry, Miss Rose. It's rather easy to prepare for an eventuality when you look up information on a monster before you hunt it. There's a place in Loc Lac that is simply overflowing with information that you should visit sometime. It's called the Monster Hunter Wi-"

"Hey, cut the chit-chat! This thing ain't killin' itself, you know!" Jeremy shouted, recovering from being sent flying by the Barioth's tail. York was currently keeping its attention away from the others, striking its head a few times and leaping back to evade another bite. He couldn't evade its charge completely, though, and was knocked back as its arm collided with him.

"Ah, my apologies. Let's get to it, shall we?" Joshua said, tucking his lance firmly beneath his arm. He lifted his shield and charged straight at the creature, bayonet tip pointed outwards! York recovered quickly and glanced back before rolling out of the way of the lance user, who drove the tip of his weapon into the Barioth's chest! Rose had been following behind closely, and before the creature could recover from Joshua's sudden charge, the huntress slammed her shield into the side of its head! One of its tusks actually cracked from the blow; York continued by slashing its head again, leaving an X-shaped cut across the monsters face.

Jeremy by then had moved behind the Barioth, bringing his blade down on its tail again and again; after seven powerful swings, the tail was severed completely! The monster roared in pain, tripping forward in surprise and agony as its appendage was dislodged from its body. Joshua and York took their places in its path, and the two hunters drove their weapons into the Barioth's chest again as it stumbled into their blades! The pair pulled their weapons free before backpedalling away from the heavily wounded creature; Rose darted between them, slamming her shield into the Barioth's head again and breaking one of its tusks off! It growled weakly in pain as the huntress twisted around and drove her fiery Rathalos sword into its skull, bringing the White Knight of the Tundra's life to an end. The hunters breathed a collective sigh of relief seeing the beast collapse to the cave floor.

"Nice job, team," Jeremy said, sheathing his long sword. The four congratulated each other before moving to carve materials off its body; Rose immediately went to carve the tough hide off the severed tail and retrieved the tusk that had broken free of its mouth. York carved several spikes off of its wing, a sizeable portion of its pelt, and a few hard shells from its back. After carving everything they could off its carcass, the hunters built a small fire and rested.

"Gotta say, didn't expect you to be the one to kill it, Rose," York said, glad to be warming up again. "Thought Josh and I had it after Jeremy cut its tail."

"Hey, I can't let you boys have all the fun, right?" she laughed, pulling out a few rations and passing them around to the others. "This is all we got, unless one of you brought some meat with you."

"If you got a BBQ spit, I don't mind running out and hunting a Popo real quick," Jeremy replied.

"I think a proper meal would do us all some good after a fight like that," Joshua pointed out. "I have a spit, but I regret to say that I am a rather poor cook."

"That's fine, I can cook steak pretty well! Just set up the spit and get the meat, and I'll work my magic!"

"Alright, I'll get to it then." Jeremy got to his feet and made his way out of the cave while Joshua began to set up a rather complex BBQ spit.

"It can cook two steaks at once," he explained. While Rose went through her pouch for some spices, York got up and looked around the cavern for any resources to gather. Aside from a few Isisium ore veins, the cave was devoid of resources.

_Why do I feel like there's more to this place? _York continued to scan the cold stone surface, looking for anything to verify his suspicions. After a while, he started to give up before noticing a small abnormality on the wall. _What's this, another cave?_ The hunter peered inside a small opening in the wall, extremely well hidden but just noticeable enough for a keen eye to see. It was a very small entrance, so York had to crouch low to squeeze through it. Fortunately, it was only a short distance until he reached an open chamber.

"What… is this…?"

The chamber was clearly man made; there were a few pillars supporting the square room, and a small staircase that led up to a strange altar with several carvings on it. He couldn't make them out very well, but a few seemed to resemble a dragon of some sort. Resting on a pedestal atop the altar was a red stone that glowed like lava. It seemed to dim and brighten irregularly, casting a faint glow across the room. "Whoa… What do we have here…?" The hunter watched it for a moment and looked around; whatever it was, it was obviously there for some reason. Still, it must've been pretty rare, and rare gems meant lots of gold. With that thought in mind, York reluctantly plucked the stone off the pedestal, half expecting there to be a trap. Fortunately, nothing happened, so the dual blade wielder pocketed the gem before going back to scanning the carvings on the walls.

"York! Where are you?!" He turned back towards the small crack in the wall where Rose's voice came through, a bit startled.

"Yeah, just a sec! Just doing a bit of exploring!" he called back. After one last quick glance, he crawled back out of the room and into the central cavern. "Didn't eat all the food already, did you?"

The other hunters were seated around the fire, hungrily watching the meat cook. "Oh, there you are! The steak's just about done. Did you find anything useful?"

"A couple things, yeah. A few ore veins, some bones, and a…" York stopped when the scent of the meat hit his nose. "Damn, that smells better than anything I've ever eaten!"

"Now you know why we've been staring at it cook for the past ten minutes," Jeremy said, not taking his eyes off the juicy meat. And he could tell why; the scent of the meat cooking was quite possibly the nicest aroma any present had smelled before.

"And… there! They should be ready!" Rose pulled the meat off the spit and handed one of the steaks to Jeremy and Joshua; the two immediately tore into the food. She handed the other hunk to York.

"Here, try it!" York didn't need any more incentive to bite into the delicious meat; one bite and he could already tell that no other meal he'd eaten before came close to matching the flavor of this one.

"Where the hell did you learn to cook!? This is friggin' amazing!"

Rose blushed a bit at the praise and smiled. "Well, my mother was always pretty busy, so I just taught myself with my free time."

"You sure you aren't the descendent of some legendary chef? Honestly, this is phenomenal!" Jeremy added, tearing a bit more meat off the bone.

"I agree completely. Miss Rose, I don't know how you did it, but you have utterly astounded me with your prowess in the culinary arts," Joshua said. "I simply must know what you used to create such a perfect steak."

"Sorry boys, but that's my own secret recipe," she laughed, sticking her tongue out at them as they groaned in irritation.

"Well, here's to a successful hunt, everyone," York said once they had all finished eating. "Let's all do our best to ensure a hundred more follow!" The others agreed and shared a bit more time together in the cave before heading back to base camp, ready to return to the capital city.

* * *

_I'd like to assume that this was a better hunt than the ones that appeared before, even if it was a bit shorter than I'd wish. I'm seriously excited to start posting my new story, so rest assured this one will be reaching its conclusion before much longer. Well, keep reading, following, and reviewing, and I'll keep working hard! Until next time!_


	12. Chapter 12

-Dangerous-

_A few months later… _

"Wow, York! This fits great!" Rose exclaimed happily, checking her new Barioth armor in a mirror. The pair had moved up enough in rank to afford a better room for themselves, with much more space and furniture; the plan had been to get one room each, but there were a lack of vacancies, so the two had to share again.

"Well, I hope it does. I spent god-knows how long working on that… I think it looks right, doesn't it?" he asked, a bit weary. York had only just completed her armor the night before, and the project had culminated in many late nights and a few retries before finally reaching its conclusion. There had been enough materials left over from the Barioth, though, that he had been able to craft his own suit of armor as well.

"It's perfect! I mean it, I don't know how I can ever repay you!" she exclaimed, hugging him happily. York sighed a bit tiredly in response, but hugged back a bit.

"You know, maybe you could pay me back with some, oh, I dunno, money? Seriously, this really drained the poogie bank, Rose."

"Alright, alright, fine," she said, giggling ecstatically before going to the mirror again. In the meantime, York went and crashed on his bed, thoroughly exhausted. It had hardly been a few seconds before he found himself drifting off. _Well, now she's happy, and I can get some sleep…_

* * *

_"York, c'mon! How can you expect to improve if you refuse to fight? If you just stand there, I'll cut you down!" The hunter found himself standing atop a dark wood house in a small village surrounded by trees. A long house stood not far from the building he was on, and a large dragon was carved from the same dark wood above the door. _

_Crez…_

_He returned his gaze to the figures standing in a small circle drawn into the dirt below, one apprehensive while the other was far more confident. As if he needed any further distinction between the two, one wore dark robes while the more nervous one wore white._

_"Here I come, coward!" The dark robed figure lunged at the white hooded one, attacking with a steel dagger. The younger version of York that he was watching quickly parried the attack with a short handled axe, backing up a little to get away from his opponent._

_"What? Afraid of a little knife? Come on, you're gonna make this too easy on me!" Again, the dark figure attacked, and again found himself parried and deflected by York's axe. Still, every opportunity he had for a counter attack, the white robed figure passed up._

_"Just give up! I don't want to hurt you!" his younger self said, almost pleading with the other man._

_"Hah! That's rich! Sounds to me like an empty threat! You're nothing but a wimp, York! All you do is avoid fights and get out of work as much as you can. Well, I think I'll do the village some good and end you right here!"_

_The dark robed figure again lunged at York, attacking far more ferociously and violently than before, intent on killing the young man. After barely parrying the third strike, York finally struck back, punching his attacker in the face and slamming the back side of his axe into the man's gut. The man doubled over in pain and shock, but York didn't wait for him to recover or prepare himself; the white robed man drove the blade of his axe into the man's back without any hesitation, but flinching in surprise at his own brutality as he heard bones break within the other figure's body. His opponent, mortally wounded, fell flat to the ground, gasping for air as life left his lungs._

_York fell to his knees, panting in shock and horrified at what he had just done. "I… I didn't… mean to do that… I-I'm sorry, you… you left me no choice… I-I had to…"_

_"Well done, boy." York turned in surprise, seeing the dark armored leader of the village approaching him, clapping his hands slowly. "It would seem you've finally finished a real fight… And in hardly a single, precise blow as well. You've done very well indeed… I'm expecting even more improvement from you now. Do not fail to meet my expectations, else you will suffer…"_

_As the figure turned and walked away, everything again seemed to slow down and stop, except for the York who had witnessed everything play out from the rooftop. He leapt down from his perch and approached his crouching past self, kneeling down to get a close look at the face of his younger persona. A mixture of pain, shock, confusion, and anger was visible in his expression._

_"…Seems I'll never be able to get past all this… Taking a life of another person is never easy, especially when it's without reason… I won't ever kill again, not unless I have to…"_

* * *

"York! Come on, wake up, we gotta go!"

The hunter woke with a start, rolling off the bed in surprise and crashing to the floor in a heap. He looked up to see his partner, fully armored and with her sword strapped to her belt, standing above him. "Rise and shine, sleepy head! We told Hugh and Zephyr we'd go hunting with them today, remember?"

"…No, I really don't…" he groggily replied, rubbing his eyes tiredly and getting to his feet. "Alright, alright, I'm up… Just gimme a couple minutes to get ready, okay?"

"Okay, but let's try and not be late this time, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah… I'll be ready in a minute…"

"You're still half asleep, aren't you? Come on, you lazy bum, let's get moving! If you don't, you'll have to pay for breakfast again!" York didn't need much more motivation to get suited up, and soon he and Rose were on their way to the tavern.

"So, I heard you mumbling in your sleep again," the huntress said. "Have a nice dream? I couldn't really make out what you were saying."

"Oh, uh, I, I was? Well, uh… I didn't really dream about anything… important, I guess…" York replied, a bit surprised and somewhat concerned that she may have heard something. "…Exactly why were you listening to me talk in my sleep?"

"Oh, well I, uh…" the huntress went beat red and looked away quickly, drawing a somewhat bemused expression from the dual blade wielder. "…I just stopped in to thank you again for making the armor, but you were already asleep…"

"Well, that makes sense. Good cover story."

"Wh-what!? What do you mean, 'cover story'!? It's true!"

"I'm so sure. Is that why you're freaking out about it?"

"I am not freaking out! I'm trying to make a point!"

"Alright, alright, no need to get all dramatic," York laughed as they neared the tavern. "C'mon, let's go in. Hugh and Zephyr'll get a kick out of this, for sure…" The pair soon entered the building, scanning the tables for their friends. York quickly spotted the hunters seated at the far end of the bar and made his way over to them with Rose following close behind.

"Hey guys! How's it goin'?" the huntress asked somewhat loudly, poking her head between Hugh and Zephyr. The two yelped in surprise simultaneously and turned to face her as she pushed away from them, laughing.

"The hell, Rose!? You didn't have to sneak up on us!" Zephyr shouted, still shocked by her sudden appearance.

"Jeez, lighten up a bit," York remarked, having stayed back a bit and watched the scene. "You make it seem like she tried to kill you!"

"I just don't like people doing that, okay? I don't get why you always feel the need to try and make me shit myself every time I have my back turned!"

"Give it a rest, Zeph," Hugh stated, patting the long sword user's shoulder and chuckling. "What kind of friend doesn't get teased every now and then? I mean, just look at these two lovebirds! They got matching armor and everything!"

"Told you he'd bring it up," York remarked, smirking a bit and shaking his head as Rose's face flooded with red. "But what's with that suit? Didn't realize you guys hunted a Rathalos recently."

Hugh stood up, his red scaled armor clinking a bit as he did so, before facing the dual blade wielder. "Got some help from that Joshua guy on that hunt. If I remember, you were too busy makin' your girlfriend there a suit of armor to come along."

"Hey, it was this, or lose another week's worth of meals in cash. This was the better choice."

"Aww, come on, York, you know I wouldn't let you starve!" the huntress remarked, giggling happily. "So, what are we hunting today, guys?"

"A Diablos." Zephyr placed a hunting contract on the table and slid it over to them, where York picked it up and read it over.

_Desert Tyrant_

_Hunt a Diablos_

_Hust be Rank 4+ to Join_

_Client: Wealthy Merchant_

_"And I thought just them poachers n' bandits were bad… now we got a Diablos wreaking havoc on one of my main supply routes! Do a man a favor and take care of it for me, would ya? I'll pay you handsomely!"_

_Reward: 100,000 gold_

As soon as he read the reward section, York's eyes lit up. "Alright, I'm in. When do we leave?" Hugh laughed loudly at the dual sword user's enthusiasm.

"Well, the ship leaves in a half hour, so we got some time to get ready. Might wanna pack some extra tools; I hear Diablos' hit harder than a truck!"

"…What's a truck?" Rose asked, somewhat confused.

"I dunno, but it seemed appropriate!"

* * *

About an hour later, the hunters were waiting on an airship bound for the Sandy Plains, strapping parachutes to their backs and waiting for the pilot to give them the o.k. to jump.

"I still find this to be bloody insane," Zephyr noted, pulling his Lagiacrus helm on and checking the straps for his chute.

"Come on, we're only jumping out of a ship three miles in the air and falling a hundred miles per hour into a hot, dry desert crawling with giant monsters and creatures that want to kill us, maim us, or mutilate us," York replied sarcastically, tightening his chest armor to fit more snuggly.

"This is the life, ain't it?" Hugh remarked, getting ready to jump from the ship.

"Well, here we go; let's try and come home safe, guys!" Rose added, glancing between the group members with a mix of excitement and concern. The pilot gave them a thumbs up to signal it was time to jump, and the four leapt from the side of the airship, one after the other; first Zephyr, then York, followed by Rose, and last (but not least) Hugh. The arid land below rushed to meet them, growing closer with every moment they spent in free fall. York straightened his body out and angled himself head first towards the earth, increasing his speed and plummeting even faster; the others did so as well.

"Pull the chutes now!" Zephyr called over the rushing wind. The four angled away from each other to avoid disrupting each other's parachutes opening before releasing the cloth sails from the bags strapped to their backs. The hunters' descents immediately began to slow, bringing them to a somewhat swift yet safe descent from the sky.

"I think I saw something in the expanse down there!" Rose called out, pointing towards the western sand dunes. "Think it's our resident giant monster?"

"Probably; let's see if we can get the drop on 'im, eh?" Hugh replied, angling himself in that direction. The others followed suit, drifting through the air at a quick pace.

"Hey, look over there," York called out, pointing north. "Looks like there's a sand storm out there, doesn't it?"

"That doesn't bode well," Zephyr replied. "Might mean that a Jhen Mohran is out there. Hope those winds don't reach us out here; we'd get thrown all over the place."

"Maybe you guys would; I'm way too heavy for a little spring breeze to push me around!" Hugh boisterously claimed, laughing confidently.

"Those sound like they'd be some pretty famous last words," the dual blade wielder chuckled. As they neared the expanse of desert, though, the long sword user's warning proved true; the winds began picking up, altering the group's course in little increments and starting to cause them to swing about wildly in the sky, still heading in the same general direction at a much faster, more dangerous pace.

"We need to descend!" Rose shouted over the winds. "I don't feel like slamming into one of those canyon walls!"

"Aim down!" York called out to the others. "We're gonna over shoot at this rate!" The hunters did their best to angle downwards and land; Hugh and Zephyr had better luck on account of their heavy armor and weapons, but York and Rose were unable to slow as much as the other pair.

"York! Rose! Detach your chutes! If you fall into one of those crevasses, there's no telling how long it'll be before you get out!" Zepyhr called out, landing on the dry sand about fifty feet from one of the large cracks in the earth. Hugh landed next to him, kicking up the grainy substance from the force of his impact.

"Way ahead of you!" York answered back, pulling another string from his chute; the cloth sail detached from the pack he wore, and he fell the remaining twenty feet to the ground, breaking his fall with a roll. As he got to his feet, though, he noticed something was wrong.

"Rose! Detach your chute!" he shouted worriedly, seeing her struggling with the chute.

"It isn't working!" the huntress shouted back, panicking as she fumbled with the string. Without warning, though, the cloth chute detached from her bag, and the huntress dropped to the ground with a scream, landing hard on her side and rolling towards the large crack in the earth. She stopped right on the edge of the cliff, but the sand below gave way beneath her and she slid over the edge with a short scream.

"ROSE!" The dual blade wielder immediately dashed across the sands towards the crevasse as fast as he possibly could, sliding to a stop at the edge; to his relief, she hadn't fallen down the fissure, but was holding onto a small rock just below the edge.

"York… Give me a hand…" she whimpered, clearly struggling to keep her grip on the stone. Her other arm was hanging limply at her side, seemingly useless. "…I think I broke my arm…"

"Just hang on, I've got you!" he relied, lowering a hand down to grab hold of the huntress'. "Almost there…" A loud crashing sound behind him momentarily distracted him from the distressed woman; he turned back to see that a large wyvern had burst forth from the ground between Hugh, Zephyr and him.

The first thing York noticed about it was a pair of massive horns above it bright orange eyes. It possessed two fangs that looked almost tusk-like in appearance. A large, spiny frill wrapped around its neck, behind which the monster's powerful body emerged from the sand below. It had a long, armor plated hide and muscular wings, below which were a pair of wide-set, stocky legs. It's tail ended in a large studded club; no doubt for warding off attackers with deadly force.

"Son of a bitch!" Hugh cursed, drawing his great sword quickly. "Guess this is our monster!"

"What makes you say that?" Zephyr replied sarcastically, drawing his long sword apprehensively. "I'll go for its tail; see if you can't snap those horns!"

"What about Rose!?" The great sword user's comment drew York's attention back to the huntress, who was still dangling precariously on the edge of the cliff. He immediately reached back down to try and grab her wrist, but the Diablos shaking the ground earlier had loosened the stone from the wall, and with a short cry of fear, Rose fell into the crevasse.

"Dammit, no!"

Without a second thought, York leapt down the fissure after his partner, landing on a downward slope and beginning to slide, rapidly picking up speed. He caught up with the huntress in only a few seconds, seeing her tumbling down the slope. He grabbed hold of her as soon as he was close enough, pulling her into his arms as the rocky slide began to level out with the ground. They slid through a large patch of mushrooms growing on the shady slope, losing a little speed but not nearly enough. The dual blade wielder found himself being hurled across the floor of the cavern from the momentum, and quickly adjusted himself before impacting the far wall; his back slammed into the rocky surface, taking the full force of the impact and forcing a groan out of him, while Rose yelped a bit in pain from the shock, but remained otherwise unharmed.

"Rose… You alright…?" he coughed, winded and dazed from the impact.

"Ugh… Y… Yeah, but… my arm hurts like hell…"

"Here, drink a potion to try and numb it out a little; I'll see if I can find something to use as a support for a sling." York gently set the huntress down before searching the immediate area, scanning the ground and walls for anything he could use. Eventually, he happened across a relatively sturdy yet dry branch that had somehow ended up in the crevasse and returned to the injured huntress. "Let me know if I'm doing this right, okay?"

The dual blade user immediately went to work, finding where the bone had fractured in her arm and cutting out the strongest piece of wood from the branch, measured to her arm. He pulled some bandages out of his pouch along with some medical herbs, crushing the green leaves in his hand and applying the residue to the bandages. Placing the wood on her arm, York immediately went to work wrapping her arm in the bandages, going carefully to avoid causing her any further pain. After another few moments, the hunter had her arm as patched up as he could.

"That's better… Thanks, York," she sighed, still in a deal of pain but feeling much more relieved than before. "Guess you learned a bit of something from watching me after all, huh?"

"Guess so," he replied, smiling a bit. "Come on, let's see if we can't find a way out of here."

"I can't climb, so we'll have to find a way out by walking…" Rose remarked, taking his hand and getting to her feet with his help. A piercing roar sounded from far above before they moved far, though; York winced from the sheer volume of the sound. "…What was that?"

"Crap… Hugh and Zephyr are still dealing with that Diablos… They'll need help as soon as possible…" York commented. His mind began racing to find a solution to the problem before him; he couldn't just leave Rose in the crevasse, but his friends were in more immediate danger above. He knew he could climb up the wall of the fissure given a minute or two, but to do so would be to leave his injured companion helpless to any monster that came her way while he was gone; she couldn't use a bow one handed, after all. But to stay with her meant Hugh and Zephyr would have to fend for themselves; they were great hunters, but the Diablos looked far tougher than almost anything they had faced yet, and now their fighting power was cut in half.

York found himself growing increasingly frustrated with the scenario. _To help one is to condemn the other… Dammit, I didn't expect something like this… _

"York… They need your help." The hunter moved away from his thoughts and turned to Rose, who stood leaning against a wall to support herself. "Just forget about me for now, and go help them… I'll still be here, and I'm sure the three of you will be able to find an easier way to get me once you're all together…"

"Rose… I-I can't just leave you," York replied, feeling extremely conflicted. "What if a pack of Jaggis come after you?"

"I…I'll find a hiding place or something, but please… You have to help them now. You've done all you could for me," Rose said, her wounds clearly starting to get the better of her now.

_…Damn it all! I can't protect them all like this…! _York made to voice his thoughts, but stopped himself when he heard an odd noise coming from further down the ravine. "…What is that…? Footsteps?" Sure enough, the tell-tale sound of armored boots and chainmail was sounding from across the crevasse, though the owners were still not in sight.

"Is it… other hunters…?" Rose asked weakly. "Maybe… Hugh and Zephyr…?"

"Neither of them have chainmail… And two people couldn't make that much noise…" the hunter replied, beginning to feel uneasy. His sixth sense began to tell him that whoever was coming may not be friendly, and he quickly grabbed the archer by the shoulders and pulled her behind a large rock, hiding the pair from view. York heard several voices from across the opening in the cavern.

"…you're sure you heard them around here?"

"Yeah, there was two of 'em; a guy and a girl, prahbably huntahs."

"I don' see anyone 'round here… Ya sure you weren' jus' hearin' things again?"

"Pahsative. Wait, what's dis?"

"Looks like an empty potion bottle… Still smells fresh. They gotta be close by!"

"Check around here for 'em; maybe if we bring 'em back alive, we can ransom them for a pardon from the Guild!"

York quietly cursed his luck, checking around the corner of the rock quickly to assess the situation; he saw three men at the opening of the cave, wearing what looked like modified hunting armor. Most of the metal parts were replaced with cheap scale replicas, and each wore a thin layer of chainmail below their chest plates the ended below their waistlines. The face masks that hunters normally wore as visors were pulled over the mens' faces, hiding their features. Each was equipped with an iron sword, a hunting knife, and a metal shield.

"Poachers…" York mumbled, pulling his head back to avoid their gazes as the men began to search the area for them. Rose whimpered quietly in pain, giving the hunter a worried look but doing her best to stay quiet. Unfortunately, though, the sound of her voice echoed throughout the cavern alerting the poachers to their presence.

"Sounds like one of 'ems injured! That'll make it easier for us!"

"Come out, come out, where evah you are…"

"We promise we won' 'urt ya if ya come quietly, hunters…"

Slowly but surely, the trio began to make their way towards the hunter's hiding place, becoming ever more sure of the pair's location with each step. Eventually, they were all within ten feet of the boulder the two were using as cover.

"We know you're there, huntahs… No use fightin' it now!"

"Make it easy on yourselves and give up, and we won't hurt you."

"But try anythin' funny, and we'll kill ya, good and dead!"

York again found himself becoming conflicted with his thoughts, thinking furiously as the poachers neared. _I swore never to kill without a reason, and I could probably take them without a weapon, but who knows how long they'd stay down…? Rose is too injured to help, and she's only half-conscious as is… Whatever I do, I'm going to have to do it alone… _York made up his mind just as the poachers were on their hiding place. Grasping a smoke bomb from his pouch, the hunter quickly threw the device into the ground, immediately flooding the area with a large white cloud. The poachers let out surprised yelps and grunts as their visibility disappeared into smoky whiteness.

As the three stumbled around blindly, York began to make his move; his white armor camouflaged him perfectly within the smoke, and he was already an expert in moving stealthily, meaning he could stalk the poachers through the cloud far easier than they could him. The dark brown of their armors stood out among the cloud like a bloodstain on a white sheet, and it was hardly a moment until York was upon the first poacher. Unsheathing his axe from his belt, the hunter immediately clasped a hand on the man's shoulder, drawing his arm back and swinging the axe straight into the side of the poacher;s neck. The man could only let out a surprised gurgle as the blade chopped through his flesh and killed him. The sound of the axe piercing flesh, the guttural noise of their comrade, and the subsequent collapse of the body brought pure fear into the two remaining men.

"…Katir…? …Ilok…?"

"Yuli, I think they got Ilok! Keep your guard u-" The second poacher's voice was cut short as York again came upon him, striking the man down with several chops to the his shoulder from the tomahawk. The brutal sounds of his comrades' demises had completely unhinged the last man, who began looking around in a panic for the cause of their deaths. York had already set the man in his sights, climbing atop a nearby boulder as the smoke finally began to clear away. He let out a short, quick whistle before leaping through the air towards the poacher.

* * *

The poacher just barely turned in time to see the hunter descending upon him; a man in white armor, concealed mostly by smoke, but with blue eyes clearer than the sky itself. Yet they held an angry, murderous intent within them now; the poacher saw that this man was a killer, and hadn't hesitated a single moment to strike down his comrades. And now, as it were, the same fate would befall him.

* * *

York tackled the poacher to the ground and drove his axe into the man's chest, burying the entirety of the blade in the scale and chainmail armor covering his vitals. The first chop didn't go deep, so York pulled the axe back and struck again, then once more after that; after the third strike, life left the final poacher's lips. York finally allowed himself to breath, panting heavily in surprise at his own actions, but more so that he felt almost nothing for the men he had killed, not even a shred of remorse.

_I haven't killed in years… Why do I feel like there's nothing wrong with this…? They had lives, feelings… And I just killed them all! What am I becoming…? _

"Y… York…?" The hunter froze and turned slowly; Rose had been propped up against the boulder, and had a clear view of the last poacher's brutal demise. She had a very clearly shocked expression on her face, one that was a mixture of fear, horror, and disbelief. "What… what did you do…?"

"…It was them or us, Rose…" York replied, making sure to sound as convincing as possible to try and hide his actual feelings. He understood how delicate the situation was now; one wrong move, and Rose could uncover everything. "…I didn't want to, but… You were injured, and… I didn't want them to hurt you."

"Bu… But… York… They were people…! Not monsters! You could have at least tried to reason with them…!"

"I… I just wasn't thinking clearly…"

"…Why don't you seem bothered by this, York…? You… You just killed them like that… Why…?"

York remained silent, looking away a bit and trying to think up of a quick response that would allay her fears. Before he could speak up though, more voices began to fill the crevasse as another group of poachers began to near the opening.

"Dammit…! Rose, we can talk about this later! Come on, we need to go!" The hunter quickly went to the archer and carefully lifted her up, though she tried to keep a bit more distance between them than she normally did. York paid less attention to this than he did the rapidly approaching poachers, quickly grabbing another smoke bomb and tossing it into the center of the area. White fog again filled the room up as the two hunters made their way further through the crevasse, not stopping to look back as they heard the shocked cries of the poachers discovering their fallen companions.

"York… Stop… Stop already…" Rose whispered, groaning a bit in pain. He quickly slowed down and ducked into a cavern with her, setting her against the wall as softly as he could. It was only at this point that he saw how badly the fall had injured her; before he had only treated her arm, but she had several bruises and small cuts all over her body where her armor didn't protect. The armor itself, thankfully, had kept intact extremely well, not showing any signs of damage beyond minor scuffs and scratches. The dual blade wielder pulled another potion out and gave it to the huntress, making sure she drank it all before setting the jar aside.

"…Something's not right… The potions should be healing you, so why aren't you improving?" York asked, worriedly. Rose seemed to be in bad shape; her wounds weren't healing well, her breath was ragged, and her skin was becoming paler by the second.

"…I feel really sick…" she mumbled weakly in reply.

"Wait a minute…" York then remembered; the mushroom patch they had slid through! It must've been poisonous toadstools; he was immune to their poison in particular due to having been exposed to it very often at Crez, but Rose didn't have the same protection as he did. "I need to make you medicine, and fast… I really hope there's a cactus down here…"

York immediately went off in search of a cactus, recalling the time Rose had told him that when mixed with the insides of a bitterbug, it created a strong antidotal medicine. He made sure she was well hidden before he left; with the poachers still about, he wanted to make sure they wouldn't happen upon her in his absence. There were a large number of bitterbugs nearby already, so York was able to get one immediately. He trekked farther through the cavern, checking every small patch of sunlight that he could for a small cactus; unfortunately, in the cave environment, none could grow effectively.

He was about to give up searching when he noticed that a bit of sand had fallen from above; he glanced up and saw that there was a small sandy platform about twenty feet up where the sun shone on through the crack in the ceiling. _It's worth a shot… _York quickly dashed up the wall, grabbing hold of the cracked stone surface and beginning to climb up to the platform. He had to jump across to the other side of the cave, though, as the wall smoothed out about four feet from the platform. Climbing up a bit higher than the land piece, the hunter leapt across the cavern, landing on the small sandy ledge. His heart jumped a bit, seeing there was a small cactus growing there with a single pink flower on top of it. He quickly plucked the flower before descending from the ledge, sliding down the side of the wall and landing somewhat hard.

He ignored the pain he felt from the landing and ran back the way he came, ducking back into the cave he had hidden Rose within; fortunately, she was still there, but she was looking even worse than before.

"Y…York…?"

"Hang on, I've got everything to make you better right here…" Crushing the two materials together in his bare hand, York made sure to squeeze out every bit of the improvised medicine that he could before gently feeding it into the huntress's mouth. She instinctively drank it down, and it only took a few moments for the drug's effects to kick in. The color returned to her face, her breathing smoothed out, and her wounds finally seemed to be healing up from the potions before. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I feel a lot better…" she replied, still acting somewhat distant from him. York could tell what was bothering her easily.

"Are you still bothered because of the poachers...?" he asked, trying to be as open and kind as he could muster.

"York, I saw how you attacked him… I saw the bodies... It was just so… brutal… I just never knew you to be someone capable of something so horrifying… I've seen you fight monsters the same way…"

"Rose, you need to understand, those men were criminals… They wouldn't have spared us if they had no reason to, and they wouldn't have listened to us trying to reason with them. They were no better than the monsters we hunt for a living; they threw that away when they decided to start attacking and stealing from people."

"I just don't know… How are you not bothered by what you did at all…? It's like… It's like you're used to it or something…" Her statement hit York like a pierce round from a bowgun. Almost at once, every single face of every person he had killed in the name of Crez flashed before him; their horrified, fearful expressions, the blood oozing from open wounds, the deathly white skin…

_I… I can't tell her any of this… She'd hate me… And there's no way she wouldn't tell the others about it either… If they find out about me, I'm done for… Come on, come on, think…!_

"I'll come clean with you, Rose…" York finally said, making up a story and trying to sound as honest as possible. "…There was a time when… a man broke into my house. Tried to kill me and… my family… I heard him, and… before he could act, I did. I've killed before, Rose… I didn't want to, but I had to, just to survive. I came to terms with it a long time ago…"

There was more truth to the story than York had intended, but he still managed to withhold the most vital parts of the tale from her, and he achieved the effect he had been hoping for. Despite her expression not changing much, his demeanor and tone had caused her to loosen up a bit, and she gained a more relaxed expression than before. The huntress gave him a rather surprised look, blinking a few times as if to ascertain she had heard correct.

"Is… that true…?"

"Yeah… Every word." _Mostly._

"I… You've never actually told me anything about your past, York… I had no idea that happened to you…"

"It… wasn't a good life, I can tell you that much…"

"I'm so sorry I treated you like that… But… If you ever want to talk about it with me, I'd be happy to learn a bit more about you, York." Rose smiled a little, regaining her cheerful demeanor once again and filling the hunter with relief.

"Thanks, Rose. But now probably isn't the time for this; we've got to get back to Hugh and Zephyr. When I went out to get the medicine ingredients, I thought I saw an exit we might be able to use. Come on, let's go." York helped the archer to her feet before exiting the cave they were hidden in. The pair made their way through the crevasse carefully, keeping an eye out for any more of the poachers; fortunately, there were none in sight, and the two hunters were able to exit the crevasse through a small exit at the top of a small slope.

"Wow, it seems way brighter than before…" Rose remarked, shielding her eyes with her good arm.

"Seems hotter to me more than anything…" York grumbled, fishing a couple cool drinks out of his pouch and handing one to Rose. "This Barioth armor is good and all, but damn does it burn to wear it out here…"

"For once, I'm with you on the heat, York," the huntress giggled. "Alright, no time to waste; let's find Hugh and Zephyr!"

Almost as soon as the words left her lips, a loud, piercing roar sounded from across the desert, and the two quickly looked at each other. They nodded to each other before racing across the desert to find their friends.

"York! Down there! I see them!"

The hunter checked down the cliffside to see what Rose had pointed out; far down below, their two companions were still engaged in battle with the Diablos. Its club-like tail had been lopped off, and one of its horns broken, but aside from those and the numerous cuts and broken plates across its body, the beast looked unhindered. Black smoke huffed from its mouth in anger at the two hunters it had cornered against the wall.

Hugh looked fairly bad; a large gash ran across the bridge of his nose and to his upper forehead, and his armor was dented in numerous places. He stood brandishing his great sword defensively while Zephyr struggled to uncork a potion behind him. The long sword user was even worse off than Hugh was, the chest plate of his Lagiacrus mail being thoroughly banged up and his helm lying uselessly next to him. He seemed to need to use his blade to keep himself standing.

"Rose, don't do anything until after its dead, alright?" York said, tensing his legs up.

"But… York! I have to help them too…!"

"In a fight with a broken arm, you'd just get hurt even worse. I'll handle the Diablos, you worry about them, alright? I've got a plan that'll end this quick."

"…Okay…" The huntress gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before backing away a little. "Good luck, York. Try not to get yourself killed, okay? For me?"

"Only if I don't have to pay for our victory meal after we all make it back."

York immediately leapt from the cliff towards the wyvern below, having a plan already thought out. It had been paying sole attention to the two hunters in front of it; the Diablos hadn't expected an attack from above. The dual blade wielder drew the large, spiked steel dagger from his back in an icepick grip and reached out with his free hand as he neared the creature's head. Grabbing ahold of its remaining horn, York tightened his grasp as he flipped about on the desert monster's remaining horn. As he neared the top of its head again, he repositioned himself in such a way that he could drive his blade into the Diablos' skull as he came back down again. Using the momentum from his fall, the hunter swung the sword down as hard as he possibly could, piercing through the creature's hide, skull, and brain with a single precision strike.

Unfortunately, his momentum kept York from a particularly safe landing; he lost his grip on both the sword and the horn and was flung sideways across the area, slamming hard into the ground and bouncing once before rolling to a stop, dazed from the impact. He began to slowly push himself up to his feet, shaking his head to try and clear the shock out of his head, but found himself being helped up by a strong arm covered in red scales.

"Dammit, York! Where the hell have you been!? That thing damn near killed us!" Hugh grunted somewhat angrily, gesturing to the giant carcass behind them, but after a moment he embraced the hunter. "Y'know, we thought you two had kicked the bucket when you went over that cliff."

"We… had our own adventure, I guess," York replied, still feeling a bit dizzy and extremely sore. "…I think we ought to head back to camp… We've all taken a beating today…"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Zephyr gasped, holding his chest painfully and limping over to them. Rose soon joined up with the three as well, having made her way down the cliff via a safer path. She gave Hugh and Zephyr a quick look over to make sure they were both in at least walking condition before agreeing to them returning to camp.

The four helped each other the whole way back, glad to finally be reunited as a party once more.

* * *

_So, I've decided on a newer style of author notes that I'm going to use from now on; I'm going to stick with writing on the bottom of the page now instead of the top and the bottom. It makes it easier for me, and it doesn't break up the flow in writing as much either. And I get to write more collectively! So, everybody wins! I decided to focus more on tying up some loose ends from _The Hunter's Oath _this chapter instead of a long, drawn out hunt, though I believe I got better at describing the monsters. Tell me how I did in the reviews! On that note, remember to read on and continue following! Until next time!_


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